


Heavenly Sweets

by Writelikethat



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Baking, Blogging, Bottom Dean, Cake, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mechanic Dean, Neighbors, Top Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-12 04:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10482513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writelikethat/pseuds/Writelikethat
Summary: Dean likes his life. It's comfortable. Then the apartment next to his comes up for sale. His new neighbor is a weird country music enthusiast and a magician with sweet pastries. Dean bakes too. He loves it and he's good at it, but he's a cool guy, definitely.





	1. Tasty tart

Dean considered himself a cool guy. It sounded lame coming out staying it like that, but he was the kind of guy that people liked being around. He was fun, and he was badass enough that girls flocked around him and sometimes the guys checked him out too. Dean was perfectly fine with that.

He worked in a garage in town and he was good at his job. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago he had been promoted, and now he was stuck with working hours in the office half the week. Dean didn’t complain about it though. He might be a cool guy, but he should be able to admit that after fifteen years working beneath cars his back had started to feel the pressure. The money was good too.

Anybody who knew Dean would say that he was a cool guy, but a big softie. A statement he resented on principle. He wasn’t soft. So what if his heart swelled whenever a child grabbed his hand or he offered to help that old lady in the store carry her stuff? That didn’t mean he was a softie. It meant he was doing his duty as a young healthy citizen.

Dean would put on some old rock tunes and down a beer or two, making sure he still got it. And then he’d claim he was a hunk, a man, and that nobody would dare to challenge him in a fight. That part actually were true too. Dean had a mean fist and he knew exactly how to bring someone down in a fight. All thanks to the way he grew up, but he was not going to start thinking about that. The past was the past. His father had slowed down his drinking and his traveling. Dean and Sam had settled and even gotten an education. There was no use thinking back on those days when they were all hungry and cold, while having to fight to survive.

So being this cool, not soft, kind of guy, he wasn’t sure why his new neighbor managed to get Dean’s pants in a twist even without actually having to show his face.

Thing was, Dean lived in an old and sturdy apartment building. It was his first real home, the first place he had actually bought and made an effort to make his home. There were six apartments in the building including his own. One on the same level and the rest below. He liked it like that, he knew everyone and even stopped by from time to time.

Sometimes old Mrs. Jordan would ask him to help with a leak in her bathroom or fix her new lamp or something. The couple living just below him had a five year old boy, Toby, and Dean made time to play with him if he asked. Then there was Paula on the first floor, a frustrated housewife living with her husband, but she never let go of a chance to flirt with Dean. She actually was scarily persistent in her attempts to get him into her bed. He never did, though. She might be a fine piece of woman, but she was married and Dean wasn’t that desperate. He got enough action as it was. Besides, going after married women had stopped being fun a long time ago.

So yeah, he was familiar with the people living there around him. Then the apartment next to his was put out on sale. The elderly couple living there decided to buy a small house somewhere a little warmer. Dean watched with growing fear at the people marching into his living space – yes, Sam HIS living space – looking around, touching everything while making rude comments.

Now that Dean had settled down he didn’t like change very much. And practically getting a new roommate was definitely a change! Sam just rolled his eyes and wanted to know what the big deal was.

The big deal was that Dean had liked his neighbors. They were safe, they were friendly and familiar. He chatted with them in the hallway, invited them in for coffee and was treated like a son by someone who had always wanted a child but never could. He felt good, damn it, and now they had to move away, and leave him stranded there by himself to deal with some new tenant.

It turned out that the place was sold to someone Dean didn’t get a chance to see at all. The guy apparently bought it without even checking it out. He had bid more than any of the others and nobody stood a chance against it. Dean dreaded to think what kind of rich freak wanted to buy a place without even looking at it.

The guy turned out to be really quiet, and practically invisible. The only thing that let Dean know there was someone actually living there in the first couple of weeks, were a pair of shoes in the hallway. A pair of decidedly cool black leather shoes.  
Once, he had heard the door close really late at night. He didn’t even know if the guy had been leaving or coming home at the hour, that’s how quiet he was.

According to Mrs. Jordan it was a fine young man. Maybe a bit too serious. Paula sighed while she pressed her breasts against Dean’s side, telling him the guy had an air of something dangerous with him. Toby described him as weird but kind. His mother though, wouldn’t let him go visit the man, because of his tattoos. Dean was sure his mother hadn’t said that but Toby was convinced it was the reason. Dean wondered why he seemed to be the only one who hadn’t met the guy.

Three weeks after he moved in, there was sign of life also during the day. Dean had just come home from work. He was heating up some left over lasagna he had gotten from Jess. There was the distinct sound of country music coming through the walls. Dean listened to make sure he heard correct, and really, the guy was playing country music loud enough for it to be heard into his place across the hall. It went on for a while. Now, Dean was a cool guy, and he listened to old rock, but it wasn’t like he needed to go tell the guy to turn it down. He wasn’t really doing anything disturbing. The music wasn’t all that bad. When he told his friends, though, he made sure to display his eye-rolling at the choice in music.

Then after a while there was a smell coming through as well. A delicious smell of melted butter, cinnamon and caramel. Dean almost walked over there and invited himself inside. He didn’t. And then it was quiet again for a little bit over a week. Then there was country music again, and a while later it smelled like heaven. Sugar and blueberry, Dean was certain. His mouth watered.

It wasn’t long after that that Dean started to associate country music with the smell of some kind of heavenly baked goods. Whenever his neighbor was playing that music there would also be emitting something delicious smelling stuff.

Dean would after a while give in and search through his favorite blog on baking. He had it carefully saved and also didn’t want anyone to really know where he got his inspiration. Because Dean loved to make food. He had made an effort after he finally had the money to actually buy ingredients. So at least once a week through Sam’s entire education a few years back Dean had been making dinner with some kind of dessert. A dessert that was inspired from this one blog called: Heavenly sweets.

The blog had been around since about the same time Dean got his own place. He discovered it one night while browsing for something to make, and there it was. Dark colors on the heading, nothing like those pink beautiful, sugary, fake stuff that women made. Ever since then he’d followed the progression. Dean wasn’t sure if this was a guy, not at first. He thought maybe it was a cool woman, not everyone had to love all the pink stuff, right? After a while the blogger told a story where he revealed he was a guy. Dean kind of liked that even better. It made him feel better about doing the baking, because if some guy was making heavenly sweets and shared with the world, then why the hell couldn’t Dean be making it as well?

So that’s what he did whenever he was home listening to country through the walls and smelling something delicious. He would flip through the blog, find something he wanted to make and started whipping great stuff together.

It almost felt like competing with the guy next door, but he wasn’t. Honest. But if he invited some of his friends over to have them taste his great stuff and once in a while leave a comment on the blog, then so be it.

Until one night he had gotten a little too much to drink. He totally blamed Benny for that one, the guy always brought some kind of strange drinks that left everyone feel like they had were old and needed to stop drinking altogether. Anyway, they sat around the table, drinking this stuff, talking nonsense about this and that. Dean was scrolling through some of the comments on the dessert he’d just served his friends. A delicate tarte with apple and caramel from a few months back on the blog. He’d added some nuts and salt to the mix. The recipe didn’t say so, but Dean had thought it would be good, and it was. It was so good that even Sam who would usually refrain from too much dessert helped himself to a second bite.

The combination between the drink and his success, made him bold.

_February 4, 2017._

_ApplePieForAll: “Tasty tart. Needed some adjustment to complete the recipe. Added some crunch and salt. Need that balance.”_

Even if Dean thought it he would never have said he had completed the recipe if he hadn’t been drunk, he was sure. But there it was and the next morning he was so focused on the crazy hangover with a taste of… was it avocado? – in his mouth. Who knew what Benny had been serving them. It took Dean a good half an hour to convince himself to get out of the shower and drink some more coffee.  
That night the country music started again and Dean sighed. He just wanted to sleep, okay? Sleep. He’d spent the entire day on his couch, blaming Benny for all that was bad in this world, watching television with the sound on mute and somehow agreed to have Toby coming upstairs the next morning while his parents ran some errands around town.

Toby really loved being at his place. Dean had barely gotten out of bed when there was a timid knock on his door. The boy stared up at him looking a little shy before Dean asked him to come inside. Just as he was about to close his door the one opposite opened and Dean glanced up on instinct.

Dark ruffled bed-hair peaked outside and blue sharp eyes pinned Dean to his spot. Wow, this man was nothing like Dean had pictured. Okay, fine, he’d made up his mind about the guy based on others descriptions and his choice in music. In his mind, his neighbor was a dude with bland hair, weird tattoos and glasses.

The last part was correct though, the guy wore glasses. Only he looked incredibly hot instead of lame. His gray t-shirt showed off strong arms with one entire sleeve with intricate patterns, looking like feathers. Dean didn’t dare look at it too long in case the guy would notice. He was also wearing a pair of sweatpants dangerously low on his hips. Dean snapped his eyes up to his face again and caught the guy as he let his eyes swipe over his body.

“Hello.” He said and Dean swallowed, because… well that voice. It did things to him. In spite of his reputation, he didn’t sleep around as much since he settled down. And he always got a little funky for a few days after having one of Benny’s drinks. God, what was in those things?

“Hi. I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Dean.” He finally managed to pull himself together and be a nice guy.

“Hello, Dean.” He said with a little smile. “I’m Cas.” He informed him.

“Nice to meet you.” Dean smiled.

“Likewise.” Just ‘likewise’ and then he kept holding Dean’s gaze. It felt strange and Dean cleared his voice awkwardly. He didn’t handle strange very good.

“Well, I have to look after Toby. I’ll see you around.” Dean said and gave the guy a nod. Noticing stains of something on his t-shirt, but Cas didn’t seem to care.

“Goodbye, Dean.”

Dean closed the door and took a deep breath.

“Are you alright? You don’t think he’s dangerous? Mum says I can’t bother him because we don’t know what he’s like.” Toby stared up at him with wide eyes full of concern.

Dean pulled himself together. He couldn’t frighten the poor boy.

“No, I don’t think he’s dangerous. I’m just a little bit tired.” Dean said.

“Oh.” They headed into the kitchen where Dean poured himself a cup of black coffee.

“Have you had breakfast yet?” Dean asked.

Toby bit his lip and eyed the bowl of pancake batter Dean had put next to the stove.

“I might have had a little bit.” He eventually admitted. Always so honest. This little boy was just the sweetest. Had yet to take advantage of a well placed lie.

“You still want pancakes though? I haven’t had breakfast and I kind of want some company.” Dean watched how the boy softened at the mention of pancakes. Toby was Dean’s number one fan. He loved his baking and whenever he came by he would ask about it.

“Yep. I totally want pancakes.” He grinned. Dean put a glass of milk in front of him, gave him a high five and turned on the stove to make them pancakes.

 

The morning was spent by his kitchen table. Toby chatted eagerly about his friends and what they used to do together. Dean teased him for the one girl in their group of friends and Toby glared at him.

“She’s not like that. She’s almost like a boy, only she has long hair and has to use the ladies room.” The boy frowned.

“Oh, I see. But you think her hair is pretty, don’t you?”

“What?” Toby demanded and Dean grinned.

“Fine, I think her hair is nice, but you can’t tell her, okay?”

“Promise.” Dean nodded seriously.

After a while Dean found his stack of paper and crayons and they spent a long time drawing cars and cakes.

“Why do you like to make cakes?”

“Because it makes people happy.” Dean answered.

Toby gnawed on his pencil and stared critically at his drawing of a cupcake.

“Do you know what else makes people happy?” Toby said and scratched behind his ear.

“No?” Dean leaned back in his chair sipping his coffee.

He loved these quiet mornings with Toby. He was a great kid, curious and fun. He always talked a lot, but Dean liked that. His eagerness to learn reminded him a bit of Sam when he was his age and it always made him smile.

“Drawings. We should draw something to that man next door. You know, so he’d like us.” Toby said a little weary. Dean wondered if his mother may have made a mistake denying the kid to inspect the new tenant.

“You think so?” Dean smiled. “What do you want to make him then?”

“Mmm, I think a guitar, since he listen to a lot of guitar. And then maybe some cakes, since cake also makes people happy.” Toby reasoned. He started drawing right away with his tongue sticking out of his mouth.

Dean decided he should tidy his kitchen in the meantime so he put on some soft rock tunes, hummed along and let Toby finish his drawings.

“What’s his name?”

“The neighbor? He’s called Cas.”

“Cas? Really?”

Dean shrugged and smiled at the boy.

“How do you spell it?” Toby looked expectantly up at Dean.

“C-A-S. You good?” He asked when Toby struggled with the last letter.

“Mhmm.” He said showed it to Dean. The ‘S’ was written the wrong way around.

Dean certainly would have been happy to get a drawing like that. The guitar was full of colors if a little crooked. A sun in one corner were shining over the whole thing. There were cupcakes and a pie and Toby’s charming handwriting that stated this was ‘To Cas From Toby’. His own name written in large letters.

“Should we give it to him now?” Toby asked.

“You want to?”

Toby nodded and Dean couldn’t resist that cute little boy so he followed him out the door and across the hall. Dean was glad he had changed his pants and was now wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt. Toby knocked on the door just like he used to knock on Dean’s. Quick and quiet. For a moment nothing happened, but when Toby stared up at Dean with a question on his eyes and knocked again the door opened. And brought with it a smell of baking buns or something equally delicious. Dean inhaled and tried to be smooth about it.

“Oh, wow it smells good.” Toby uttered, then he blushed and thrust the drawing towards Cas.  
“I made this for you so you would like me. Dean says cake make people happy.” He said in a rush. Cas stared down at Toby with his piercing blue eyes and the boy shrunk back against Dean’s legs.

“That’s very nice of you.” He finally said. Toby let out a long breath and granted Cas with a tentative smile.

“I was just making some cinnamon rolls with caramel. Would you like to taste one?” Cas asked.

Toby glanced up at Dean and his look was so adorably pleading that Dean grinned back.

“I would, thank you.” Toby said and Dean smiled a little at the politeness. Toby had never treated him with that much respect. It had to be because he had thought the guy was dangerous or something.

“Well, come inside then.” Cas opened the door all the way and Toby walked slowly inside keeping Dean close by.

Dean glanced around. The place was just like his, only mirrored. He was familiar with the place, but it didn’t look anything like it had when the elderly couple lived there. The place looked hip now. It had a style to it that his own place lacked and he wanted to feel jealous about it but he loved his own place too much for that. This was modern and bright, and he liked it.

Dean and Toby followed Cas into the kitchen which smelled heavenly. Big, soft buns were placed on the counter to cool and boy did they look good. Cas took three and placed each on plates. Then he started drizzling caramel frosting on top. Dean’s mouth watered and he couldn’t wait to taste them. He had seen a similar recipe on that blog he followed and thought about trying them, but never had.

Toby praised them so much Dean started to think he hadn’t tasted anything that good. Which he had, if he dare say so himself. Then he shook himself for feeling jealous over something a five year old said. He glanced over at Cas who was leaning comfortably against the counter. Blue eyes met his and crinkled in a genuine smile.


	2. Brownie and Cupcakes

After being invited into Cas’ place the first time he started seeing the guy from time to time. They didn’t plan to meet. It was quick meetings in the hallway and they would chat for a while. Sometimes they would meet in the store just down the street and nod as they passed by. They didn’t talk much to begin with, but at least they knew of each other.

A week after Dean posted the comment on his favorite blog there was an update. An update to the recipe on the tart Dean had made.

_February 5, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “One of you readers suggested to add some crunch and salt into the mix. I tried it out and it was good. I’m not sure it’s as good as the original, but we all have our preferences I guess.”_

Dean scrolled through the comments to see if he was the only one who had made such a suggestion, and apparently he was. He decided to let it go.

That was, until one day when Sam called and said they were coming over for dinner. Dean didn’t have any dessert lying around, so he opened the blog and tried to find something easy to make. Neither Dean nor Sam was very fond of chocolate, but Jess loved it almost as much as she loved Sam. Brownie was a safe bet, so Dean started making it so that he could serve it while it was still hot. Sam said they were bringing the dinner and Dean was just happy to be bringing the dessert on the table. He’d always loved pie, maybe because it reminded him of better days, or because it was easy to find wherever they went.

So what if he was a sweet tooth similar to a child? Dean knew how to work with it and people didn’t have to call him delicate just because he ate sweets like a woman on her period.

Dean muttered to himself as he shuffled around his kitchen mixing together great stuff. He threw in some things he felt was lacking and made a mental note of writing it on the blog. The guy did ask for people’s opinions on his baking, so he would get it.

And maybe Dean hadn’t been able to let go how the guy had been riled up over his one comment about adding a few things. Like, he had actually made the tart and even dedicated an entire post to let everyone know he didn't exactly agree. Dean would admit that maybe he hadn’t needed to write such a harsh comment, but the content still applied. The cake needed those extra few ingredients.

Sam would call it a flaw. The way Dean seemed to like riling people up. He just couldn’t resist it. He swore he wasn’t looking for a fight or wanting to make people uncomfortable. He just liked to watch them get worked up over stuff. Dean would deny it and eventually Sam had to take deep breaths in order to settle down. Mission accomplished!

 

Jess practically levitated into the kitchen the second they entered his place.

“My god, it smells heavenly! I don’t know how you do it. I always try out stuff, but I never manage to make it as good as you do.”

“It’s my special gift.” Dean teased and pulled her in for a hug. Jess easily wrapped her arms around him and sighed.

“I may love Sam, but I’m so, _so_ happy he has a brother like you.” She muttered after licking batter from a spoon.

Dean almost blushed.

Sam and Jess made themselves at home in his kitchen. Both unwrapping the dinner. Jess had made chicken with a spicy sauce and they had brought fries that Sam put in the oven. Dean never complained even though he never understood why they chose to do it like this. Why didn’t they just make the food together like normal people? He supposed it got something to do with how they were really busy and all that, but still.

Anyway. Dean was making brownies and Jess was moaning over the deliciousness so much so that Sam started to fidget and eventually asked what the fuzz was about. When he too started making those noises Dean decided he would go set the table.

They were eating heartily, updated each other on what was going on in their lives since they last saw each other and ate some more.

Afterwards when they had settled into the sofa and some comfy chairs in front of the TV, Dean flipped open the blog and wrote his comment.

_February 12, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Made this for a couple of friends and they practically swooned. I’m now their favorite person thanks to this. As usual though, I needed to add some nuts and a bit of salt. The cake was way too sweet without it._

So yeah, it seemed like he couldn’t leave well enough alone. But like he said, he couldn’t help it when the person on the other side so clearly got worked up about it.

Dean wasn’t making those comments to be mean, no, he definitely wasn’t. He didn’t do it because he wanted a reaction either, at least not purely based on that. Mostly it was because he loved his food and his pastries. He enjoyed developing them and he wanted to share it. He wanted this person to know what he thought. That the goods on his page was honestly enjoyed, but also that he had a taste on his own and opted to add something that he found good.

Dean cared about food, and he cared about feeding people. He never talked about it in so many words, but always when friends and family came by he made an effort to feed them. He still wasn’t a softie. Absolutely not. If anything he was doing just what any alpha male should be doing, namely feed his pack.

Fine, they weren’t a pack and he was no alpha, but if they had, Dean was certain he would have been great at it.

Since Dean hadn’t meant to sound mean or act as a troll online he didn’t go back to check if his comment had gotten a reply or resulted in a new post. He sat the next evening listening to country music blasting through the walls from his neighbor and tried to figure out what to do when the weekend rolled around. Usually his friends would gather, but this week too many were busy doing other stuff, so they weren’t going to meet up.

As it turned out Dean didn’t have to wait for something to do. Jo called Saturday afternoon.

“Hey, Dean. Are you coming over to my place tonight?” Her voice was happy and young.

“Who else is coming?”

“Ash, Adam, Becky and Beth.”

Dean sighed.

“I know but I couldn’t tell her not to come.”

Dean rolled her eyes. Yes, she could have told her.

“I don’t know. Last weekend was too much, think I need to take it slow.”

“Oh, no problem. You can drive.” Jo said grinning and Dean knew he walked right into that one.

“We’ll see. I can come by around ten, okay?”

As Jo hung up Dean continued to check his phone and eventually ended up on his favorite blog. He scrolled through the two new entries. He smiled when he found a new recipe for vanilla cupcakes. Dean usually didn’t go for cupcakes. They were for women or kids, even he thought so. But these looked cool. With black frosting and wrappers that were pitch black too. He didn’t feel like he was sprinkled in glitter just by looking at them.

He opened the page where he last left a comment and below his was a long answer from Heavenly Sweets himself.

_February 14, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “Thank you for your comment. There will always be different opinions on what makes for a good cake since we all have our tastes. You Miss ‘ApplePieforAll’ have to understand that and don’t need to suggest that my recipes are unfinished. I am certainly happy that you like my blog and want to try out some of the stuff, but if you disagree so heartily with my choices, maybe you should consider finding a blog that suits you better.”_

Dean couldn’t help the urge to smile. First of all, he was called Miss. The guy apparently thought he only had female readers or something. Secondly, why didn’t this guy understand that Dean didn’t disagree, he only wanted to share his thoughts which the man had asked for in the first place. He obviously only wanted those comments on how his Heavenly Sweets were the bestest in the entire world and contained no fault whatsoever.

Well, Dean was about to enlighten him.

_February 15, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “That’s what I said. I know we all make choices in the kitchen that fits our tastes, but that is also why I left a comment. I wanted to let you know I think you make great stuff, only that there are a few elements which I prefer differently. I didn’t intend to make you feel bad about it. I simply wanted to share what I like and maybe someone else likes that too.”_

Dean used to think about his neighbor. Not in a weird way. Although, he was intriguing enough to prompt that kind of thoughts. He thought about the coincidence that was this man moving in next door. Of all the things they had in common, it was sweet, sugary goods.

They rarely talked about it, not that they talked all that much in the first place. But it would have been easy to get to know each other if they did. Dean could have started talking about it if they met in the chocolate aisle at the store or when the scent of vanilla and caramel wafted into the hallway as the guy stepped outside.

Dean recognized the curious glances he got and had this feeling Cas too wanted to ask, to talk about what they were making. Somehow it didn’t feel natural. That left Dean standing in his own kitchen, mixing up the batter for vanilla cupcakes thinking what his neighbor would be making for the weekend.

That was another thing. Dean mostly just made something tasty for the weekend. Since he would be meeting with friends or wanted to treat his co-workers or neighbors. Or else he would get a belly, and Dean didn’t need those soft edges.

Cas didn’t seem to care. On a mundane Tuesday Dean could smell boiling apples or fresh lemons. The guy baked whenever he wanted. People would come over and Dean tried not to be jealous of their willingness to stuff their faces any time of the week.

Man, was he getting old. Or maybe Sam was rubbing off on him. That little brother was so fixated on a healthy diet and wouldn’t shut up about it.

Dean always brought something along when he met up with his friends. All of them loved him for it and Jo in particular would shower him in compliments and kisses. He always acted like he didn’t like her gratitude, but secretly he loved it. What was better than people letting him know how much they loved his baking?

 

Around ten, Dean showed up at Jo’s place with those cool vanilla cupcakes in hand. He really wasn’t prepared for Jo’s joy. She burst out laughing and grabbed the plate.

“Finally. I can’t believe it took you this long to make some cute cupcakes.”

“They’re not cute.” Dean muttered.

Jo rolled her eyes and Dean wanted to smack her. He didn’t make cute little cupcakes. He deliberately chose these with black frosting and all. So yeah, no one was going to tell him they were cute.

“Yes they are. And you are too. I have asked and asked for you to make me some of these and finally, here they are! I have to try one.” She said and pulled off the lid and picked up one of them.

Dean was pretty satisfied with how they turned out. They looked tasty and cool.

“Oh my god it’s so good.” Jo moaned around a mouthful.

The rest of the gang seemed to like them too and Dean was happy they did. Even if Jo wanted him to drive, Dean ended up taking a few beers. He just couldn’t stand having Becky hanging over his shoulder and stay sober.

Dean was trying to be fair, but he just didn’t handle her very well after she tried to sabotage Sam’s relationship in order to land him herself.

It was three in the morning when Dean walked into his building with a rambling and stumbling Jo by his side.

“I don’t want to go home, Dean.” She sighed.

“You have to eventually. You can’t keep crashing here whenever you drink too much.”

“It has worked well so far.” She insisted and Dean huffed a laugh. That girl was just too much. Her mother was even worse and he could sort of understand why she didn’t want to come home looking like this. Not that Ellen was oblivious to her daughters drinking, Jo simply didn’t want any kind of confrontation. What Jo didn’t know was that Dean always let Ellen know that her daughter was safely sleeping on his couch. He couldn’t stand the panicked look he had met one morning when Dean entered the roadhouse and Jo hadn’t come home the night before. Ellen had lost enough so Dean decided to look out for Jo and make sure her mother knew he had gotten her safely home.

They were almost at the top.

“You know what this building needs? A lift.” Jo leaned against the wall breathing heavily for emphasis.

“You need to put in a few workouts next week.” Dean told her.

Jo glared at him.

“No I don’t. I look perfectly fit and could probably outrun both you and Sam.”

Dean put his back into the laugh and Jo folded her arms aggressively over her chest.

“I know I could.” She insisted with a pout. Dean pinched her cheek brotherly but Jo slapped him off.

“Don’t do that. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and I’m going to prove it. I’m gonna call Sam and we’re having a race.” She fumbled around her purse.

Dean grabbed it from her. “You’re not calling Sam at this hour. He’s asleep and you should be too.” Dean nudged her forward and even as she walked the last flight of stairs she glared at him as best she could.

They were almost by the door when someone caught up to them and Dean knew long before he saw him that it was Cas. Jo turned around when that gravelly voice greeted Dean.

“Oh, wow.” Jo swallowed and looked up at him. “This is your new neighbor?” She whispered loud enough to be heard clearly by them all. Cas raised one eyebrow and glanced between Dean and Jo.

She thrust her hand out with a smile. “I’m Jo.” She said with fluttering eyelashes and a winning smile as she waited for Cas to shake her hand.

“I’m Cas.”

“It is so lovely to meet you.” She told him with a wink and Dean pressed his lips tight. Cas smiled friendly at her, if a little confused.

“Jo, I think it’s time for you to get some sleep. You can go and say hello to Cas in the morning, key?” He looked at her with what she used to call his annoying-big-brother-I-know-best look.

It was obvious she was either drunker or more tired than she let on when she waved at Cas and told him they’d see each other in the morning before following Dean to his place.

Dean glanced over his shoulder before closing the door and met Cas’ slightly confused eyes. They nodded a good night before the door closed between them.


	3. Puff Pastry

Dean worked long hours the following week. He came home late and exhausted from having dug around under the hood of several cars. When people were sick Dean had to put in extra work. Or maybe he didn’t have to. He just did. He liked it, and that would save them the trouble of having to let go of some customers. Or hire new people. That always turned into a mess.

Wednesday Sam came over and they went out for beers and watched a game at the local pub. The place was owned by Dean’s friend Benny. It was rarely packed, but it was just as well since it would give them the chance to actually catch up instead of having to yell over the chatter and music.

The brothers sat by the bar, partly following the game and otherwise talked to Benny or each other.

When the game was over they walked the few blocks back to Dean’s place. As they came up the stairs they were in a heated discussion.

“You know he hates when we check up on him like that.”

“Yeah, well then he need to stop acting like that so we don’t have to.” Dean snapped. Sam sighed and pushed a hand through his hair.

“I know, Dean. But he… You know he got his issues and he has to deal somehow. We’re not in a position to impose.”

Dean shook his head as they finally reached his floor.

“He’s not dealing, Sam and you know it.” Dean insisted.

Sam was about to answer when the door to Cas’ place burst open and the man stood in front of them.

“Hey, Dean I wanted to – Oh sorry I didn’t know you had company.” Cas finished a lot more subdued.

Sam looked between them and Dean glared at Cas. He was already worked up over their conversation and Cas cleared his voice a little awkwardly.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Dean muttered and watched Cas expectantly. He looked his normal self, for once not covered in flour or some kind of substance from the kitchen. He looked good as usual.

“Uh. Well, I… I wanted to apologize for the other day.” He said and sent a quick glance in Sam’s direction before settling on Dean.

“Huh?” Dean asked and turned to fully face his neighbor.

“The other night with… erm, the girl.” He tried discreetly and glanced at Sam again.

Sam stared at Dean.

“Cas, this is my brother, Sam.” Dean said when he noticed how awkward Cas was acting.

“Oh!” Cas relaxed visibly.

“And don’t worry about the girl. She kind of get like that when she’s drunk too much.”

“I see. Well I only wanted to make sure we didn’t get off on the wrong foot.”

“No, no. Absolutely not.” Dean smiled a little ignoring his brother’s curious looks.

“That’s good. I will see you later, then.” Cas gave a tiny smile before heading back into his place.

Sam was all over him the second the door closed behind them.

“What the hell was that about?” He stared at his brother. Dean shook off his jacket and stepped out of his shoes before heading into the kitchen with Sam trailing behind.

“Did he bring home a girl and you complained or something? That is kind of ironic don’t you think?”

Dean huffed a laugh and rolled his eyes.

“No. Jo crashed at my place. She made a move on him, or you know slurring through an introduction. She found him interesting or something. Guess he thought she was my girlfriend.”

Sam snorted a laugh.

“So you must have made quite an impression on him if he thought he got hit on by your girlfriend while you were there.” Sam looked smug.

“Like that would have happened.” Dean muttered. He wrapped in a few cupcakes for Sam and Jess and handed it over.

“There you go. Don’t ever say I didn’t do you a favor.” Dean grinned.

Sam took the plate and sighed.

“Dean, you know we got to talk about this situation with Bobby.”

Dean rubbed a hand over his face.

“I know. I just don’t like it.” He said quietly.

Sam nodded and seemed to decide he should let it go for now.

“Well, thanks for these. I’m heading home now. See you Saturday.” Sam made his way outside and Dean fell back onto the couch.

 

All of a sudden he felt old. Old and tired. He worked hard to try and be on top of the game, but it had started to cost something. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining that he didn’t have to feel responsibility for almost everyone around him. He couldn’t help it and he had his suspicions why that was even if he chose not to examine it too closely.

Dean liked taking care of those around him, but sometimes he knew he hadn’t been asked to. Bobby certainly didn’t thank him, but the man was dependent on him stopping by once a week. Bobby would mutter and bark at him for his interference, but by the end of his visit the guy had had a full meal and a tidy kitchen. Even he couldn’t complain about that.

Dean checked in on the blog and found a new comment below his last one. The guy didn’t seem to appreciate Dean’s answer. He still thought that he tried to complain about his baking and to start an unnecessary debate.

_February 19, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “I do not feel bad. I merely think you are starting an unnecessary debate. If you need to share your strong opinions on where your tastes differs from mine, then you should just start your own blog. Those reading my blog does so to make cakes from my recipes. They will not read the comments in case someone might have tips on a variant of the recipes.”_

Dean shook his head, not really in the mood, but this had gone on long enough that he didn’t want to let it go. It was a stupid thing really to keep answering back, but this was something Dean cared for. And the things he cared for didn’t get abandoned.

So he wrote back.

_February 22, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “There is no point for me making a blog when I find everything I need on this one. If I chose to make some adjustments for my own sake, then I will. I’m not disagreeing with you, I take what you do and make it my own. I thought that was the point. You, wanting to inspire people to spend time in the kitchen.”_

Having an argument with someone online made Dean feel like a drama queen. A voice inside his head, which sounded suspiciously like Sam, muttered that he didn’t have to get involved just because things had escalated.

Now he was involved, so that was that.

He tried not to get obsessed with it, though. He told himself he only got to check once a day if there was a reply, and he also told himself that he couldn’t do it after drinking.

 

Dean had other things to worry about though. There was Bobby of course. But lately he’d started hearing voices. Loud voices coming from the apartment below. He couldn’t just head down there asking what was going on, but he felt bad for Toby and often wondered how he was doing. It had been a while since he last talked to the little boy. Fighting and screaming would definitely not be a good thing for the sensitive guy, and Dean wanted to badly to get a chance to help him out a bit.

The only times he talked to him was a few words exchanged in the stairs or outside the building. Toby would usually be with his mother so Dean would just ask how he did at school. Toby seemed alright as far as he could tell, but it didn't make it feel any better whenever the yelling started.

 

Saturdays were usually spent with his group of friends. They gathered at home and that too made Dean feel slightly old. He admitted that it was their best option if they wanted to catch up. They had done their share of bar hopping or meaningless trips to clubs. Suddenly one day one of them had suggested they made some food at home, had some drinks before heading out. Eventually they ended up not going out and instead had a great night at home. It had shifted slowly, but no one asked if they were heading out.

Sometimes they did though. They couldn’t be that old. Heading out for a night once in a while was good for them too. To meet new people and such.

Then came Sunday and that was the day for family. Sam and Dean always met up either for dinner or heading together to Bobby. No matter if the man told them to stop fuzzing or that Sam felt bad about intruding, they went there. Sam had to admit it wasn’t a bad thing either.

Driving from Bobby they always had the same conversation.

“We should come here at least twice a week.” Dean sighed.

Sam pursed his lips and watched the house getting smaller in the mirror.

“He wouldn’t like that.”

Dean huffed. “Maybe that’s what he want us to think. He’s still freshly showered almost every Sunday we get here.”

Sam smiled a little at that. “He is.”

“And don’t you think we owe it to him after everything he’s ever done for us?” Dean glanced quickly at his brother. Sam took a deep breath and looked down into his lap.

“Of course I do. It’s just…”

“You just don’t want to feel uncomfortable, but damn it Sammy. He’s not able to do everything by himself anymore!” Dean gripped the wheel tight and clenched his jaw.

Sam let out a long breath.

“Yeah, I know.” He finished quietly.

 

Mixing together egg and sugar, sifting in some flour and add butter and spices always made tasty cakes. It also had a calming effect on Dean’s busy head.

After visiting Bobby he always got the urge to bake something. He gladly spent time with the older man, but it also put a strain on his heart. The man suffered and neither Bobby nor Sam wanted to do something about it.

Dean didn’t understand it. Sam was the one who jumped at the chance to be sentimental and feelingy. Not him. In this case though it seemed he didn’t want to be bothered. Dean knew that wasn’t the case. Sam simply wanted to abide Bobby’s wishes. It just hurt to see the man like that and that’s why Dean couldn’t let it go. Because he cared. That's why Dean started heading out to Bobby on Wednesdays too.

He knew Sam cared and worried about him too, he just chose differently.

So Dean turned to his kitchen. And the blog. He found something complicated to make. Made sure a few hours would pass while he focused on measuring ingredients and mixing them together.

His mind calmed down, his hands were steady and by the time he had put perfectly shaped puff pastry into the oven he were humming along with the music.

He’d never made those before, but that’s what he found would take the longest to make. And boy was it satisfying to watch those cute little stars puff up. He’d spent a crazy amount of butter as he rolled and folded, rolled and folded the dough. His mouth was watering by the time he could take them out of the oven. He let them cool for a little bit before adding the thick vanilla cream.

Dean was sure he’d never tasted anything that good. It could be the fact that he had worked for hours to get the perfect result, but no. He just thought it was all the way up there with his favorite apple pie. And that said something.

Delicious taste tended to make Dean in a good mood. He’d found the recipe on Heavenly Sweets so he decided to try and be good here and leave a comment to compliment the thing.

_February 26, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Having a feast with these ones. Tastes incredibly good and much fun to make. Never tried it before and had a real workout. Great satisfaction seeing those things puff up in the oven. Can’t wait to try it out again sometime.”_

There. That would have to turn things around, right?

It didn’t work. Somehow the guy had started to take everything Dean wrote as an insult. Dean checked the next day and there was already a comment below his positive words on the puffy stuff.

_February 26, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “No added ingredients this time? I hope you realize that not everything is about making adjustments. This recipe best not be messed with or you’ll fail.”_

_February 27, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Why would I need to add ingredients to this recipe? I don’t make changes just for the hell of it. Next time though I might try a different kind of topping. Any suggestions?”_

So yeah, maybe Dean didn’t have to keep answering this guy. But by now he’d actually learned that he didn’t mind. He liked those snappy replies and he also wanted to know why he didn’t tolerate changes. It seemed the guy wasn’t afraid of trying new stuff. Dean might just be a little bit curious.


	4. Too much cake

For an entire week country music blasted through the building and it constantly smelled of some sort of delicious sugary pastry. Dean didn’t see Cas until Thursday when he came up the stairs after work.  
Cas suddenly stood in the doorway, hair looking like he’d been standing too much in front of the hot stove. His eyes sparkled blue and his black t-shirt were dotted with flour.

“Hi there, Cas.” Dean said as he walked over to his door and dug around his pocket for his keys.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Everything alright?” Dean searched his face. He did in fact look a little bit obsessed, at least if he combined this look with the music blasting at all hours.

“Yes, yes. Everything is fine. But would you like to come inside? If you don’t have dinner plans, that is.” Cas shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Dean turned around to face him. They would stop and chat in the hallway and a few times they’d even shared a table at Benny’s pub when they happened to be there at the same time. Even if Dean had started to consider them being almost friends, they didn’t visit each other’s places. Apart from the one time Dean was over there with Toby he hadn’t seen the inside of that apartment in months.

“Sure, I mean, do you need anything?”

“No, just your opinion.” Cas smiled tentatively.

“Oh, okay. Well, let me just get out of my dirty clothes and I’ll be there.” Dean nodded. Cas looked like he was about to protest, but Dean wasn’t about to enter that immaculate place smelling of sweat and oil. He might risk ruining a chair or something.

Dean ran through the shower, put on a ripped pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. He threw a blue shirt over his shoulder and headed for Cas’ place within twenty minutes.

Cas looked up expectantly as Dean stopped by the table. The room smelled like a bakery and it kind of looked like one too.

The kitchen was surprisingly tidy, but the counters and tables had plates filled with all kinds of different pastries. Dean just couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Are you having a party or opening a shop?” He looked over at Cas who let out a huff of breath.

“No, just… working through some stuff.”

“Oh, yeah. I tend to do that too. Baking is pretty effective therapy.”

Cas urged him to sit down so Dean pulled out a chair in front of the table. He let his eyes flit from one plate to the next. Cas did seem to be really good at this. Everything looked perfect. There were everything from donuts to macrons. Dean felt Cas’ eyes on him while he took in everything. The colors alone was enough to make his mouth water.

“Do you need me to try everything?” Dean tried to keep his face level.

“I know it’s a lot.” Cas said hurriedly.

“It really is.” Dean nodded. When he chanced a glance up at Cas there was a slight blush to his cheeks, it was kind of endearing.

Dean waited until Cas nudged a plate in his direction before he reached out and tried a mini tart that had blueberry filling. He sighed when his mouth was filled with the rich taste of sweet blueberries and then he met the perfectly crunchy crust. He tried to hold in a moan and patted his shoulder for holding it in. He didn’t want to embarrass himself too much in front of this magician.

“Wow.” He said once his feet touched the ground again. Cas gave a little smile.

“Yeah?”

“Definitely.” Dean nodded. “Did you plan this? I mean, to attack me just when I got home from work, starving?”

Cas shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. Dean huffed and picked up a piece of brownie.

“Are you going to stand there and watch me eat?” Dean asked before taking a bite.

Cas looked uncertain for a moment and Dean wasn’t sure how that could be. This was Cas. The cool man with tattoos all over his arms, with leather jackets and sharp eyes. Dean hadn’t thought he’d ever be flustered about anything.

Cas eventually decided to sit down and pick up a deep blue macron.

“I’ve already tasted everything.” He admitted.

Dean chuckled. In that case, the man had to be about to go into a sugar coma or something.

For a while neither of them said anything. Whenever Dean finished one piece, Cas would move another plate in front of him and Dean who hadn’t eaten since lunch and loved everything sweet, gladly tried everything.

“What do you think of the brownie?” Cas asked. He had just put a tall glass of water in front of Dean.

“Great taste of chocolate. Really great, man. I always love something to bite in, though. So I might have added pecans or maybe cashews. But you know, someone likes them with, others without the crunch.” Dean smiled.

For a second there was a flash of something flickering across Cas’ face before he smiled.

“Totally. I don’t mind the crunch. This recipe though is best served gooey like this.” He insisted and Dean nodded and reached for a cupcake. The icing was dark blue with sprinkles of something that looked like snowflakes on top.

“Do you always just make stuff that’s in portions? Don’t you make cakes of some kind?” Dean asked and licked his fingers free of blue icing. He didn’t notice how Cas’ eyes flickered down to his lips.

“Um, sure. But these things can be put in the freezer and brought out if I crave something. A whole cake is… a whole cake.”

Dean hummed. “Yeah, I only make cake if I know someone will help me eat it.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence. Dean tasted everything put in front of him and commented on some of them. Cas seemed to take it into consideration. Cas brought out coffee to drink and eventually the conversation ventured into other things.

Dean told him about the couple who had lived there before Cas. How he used to visit them regularly and sometimes invite them to his place for dinner. Cas tilted his head like he had to think through it but he smiled gently. He couldn’t smile too often, Dean though. There was something really pleasant about his smile.

“So why did you decide to move here?”

“My old place was… It was old and cold. I wanted something bigger and warmer.” Cas said.

Dean could understand that and nodded.

“What do you work with? I mean, you did look kind of dirty when you got home.” Cas had gotten up and started to put away the food. Dean was grateful. He was at a state where he felt really full to the point of breaking, but the sight of everything in front of him made him want to keep eating even if he shouldn’t.

“I work at an auto shop.” Dean told him.

“Oh, cool.”

Dean grinned at that. It was exactly what he had always said. Being a mechanic was cool.

 

Later that night after Dean had walked back to his place he fell into the couch with a groan. Man, had he eaten for an entire family. Cas hadn’t wanted to talk about what was bothering him and Dean didn’t know him enough to push the issue. Instead Dean had opted to invite Cas over when his friends would come by this weekend.

Cas had seemed surprised by the invitation.

“If you’re busy you don’t have to come. I just thought since we’re neighbors, and maybe I’ll be able to make something as a thanks for all of this.” Dean let a hand gesture towards all the pastries on the table.

Cas ducked his head but gave a little smile.

“Fine. I will be there. Should I bring something?” He asked.

Dean shook his head. “No, like I said. I’ll be making something. If you want you can bring some beer of whatever you like to drink.”

 

There had been a few days since Dean’s last comment on Heavenly Sweets and there were no answer. He wondered if the guy had decided to abandon their argument and a part of him was a little annoyed.

He checked once a day like he had allowed himself. He couldn’t get all obsessed. And then there was a new comment.

_March 1, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “I suggest you try something for yourself, Miss. Seeing as you have such strong opinions.”_

The answer made Dean chuckle. He really had managed to rile him up, this one. He shook his head and decided it was time to reveal that he in fact wasn’t a woman.

_March 2, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Well, thank you. I will try something and let you know how it went. Since we’re becoming familiar with each other I think it’s time you started calling me Mr. whenever you get mad. I don’t mind the ‘Miss’ part in the right circumstances, but I try to be professional about this so I’ll let you know I’m a guy.”_

Dean read his comment a few times but eventually decided to post it like that. He got the feeling he was kind of a prude this one, but that made it all the more fun.

 

When Saturday night came around his place started filling with people. Dean glanced at the door every now and then, not sure why he felt fidgety all of a sudden. Sam and Jess was there filling bowls with chips. Garth had sipped halfway through his first beer and was already leaning close to Pam talking insistently.

There was a careful knock on the door and before Dean could answer he heard a voice outside as the door opened.

Benny burst through with Cas poking his head inside searching until his eyes met with Dean’s. Benny slapped Cas’ back and the guy almost buckled over. Eyes wide in surprise. Dean forced down a laugh. He’d bet Cas wasn’t used to guys like Benny.

“Bring out the glasses.” Benny rumbled and there was a collective groan coming from the living room. Benny laughed.

Cas headed almost silently into the kitchen where Dean was pouring sticky caramel on top of an apple pie. For a second Cas’ eyes flickered with something like annoyance before he placed a six pack on the counter.

“Didn’t know what you liked, but I imagined you’d be a beer guy.”

Dean turned amused eyes to Cas.

“As a matter of fact I am. Not that you needed to bring me some.”

Cas shrugged and looked around a little awkwardly. Dean finished with the pie, pointed at a stack of plates that he asked Cas to pick up and walked into the living room.

“Everyone, this is Cas. My new neighbor.” Dean introduced. Everyone’s eyes momentarily turned to the new guy and Dean thought maybe he fought down a blush.

“Hello.” He said.

Pam’s mouth slowly turned into a seductive smile as she took him in. Garth got up from his chair, only wobbling a little bit.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Garth.” He announced with his hand stretched out. Cas shook it.

Benny was lounging on the couch. Dean nudged his leg and sat down next to him.

“Have some pie before it gets cold and unattractive.” He said and just like that the awkward moment where everyone had a look at the new guy was over.

Cas carefully sat down on a chair next to Jess and when she handed him a plate with a piece of pie and ice cream he smiled at her. Jess was easy going and didn’t wait to include Cas in conversation.

People moaned and sighed over the pie and Dean patted his shoulder for yet another success. Well, pie was his strong suit so he didn’t really need the approval. Cas had a second slice and Dean relaxed. He’d seen what the man could do, so if he liked his baking, then it had to be good enough.

The night was calm and friendly. They drank beers and chatted. Cas was pulled into conversation around the living room and no one seemed to think twice about letting a new guy into their group. Dean was a little surprised at that, then again. They were good people. Why shouldn’t they accept him?

Until Benny placed a bottle with orange liquid on the table.

Garth was on his third beer and was halfway lying in his chair already. He shook his head.

“No. No, Benny. I’m not here tonight.” He said, trying to sound stern.

Everyone knew how this went and Cas stared at them with curiosity as they laughed. Dean placed shot glasses on the table and Benny filled them up.

Cas looked questioning at Dean.

“It’s something Benny mixes himself. You don’t have to if you don’t feel like it.” Dean said.

Benny huffed and muttered something about being a coward while Garth whimpered helpless as a glass was pushed into his scrawny hand. Pam had already downed her and held her hand out for a second. Sam and Jess did theirs together. Dean always wanted to gag at their need for… togetherness. But he supposed there was no use when he secretly envied their relationship.

Cas raised one eyebrow and took a tentative sniff of the content. His blue eyes widened and locked with Dean’s. It was a silent challenge. Dean raised his own glass and they downed it at the same time.  
Dean was prepared for the burning and swallowed accordingly. Cas gasped for air and tried to cover it up by pushing a hand in front of his mouth. Dean smirked at him.

It often turned into a game after the first two shots. Garth usually started it after his first. When Benny, who was the most insistent, looked the other way someone would spill their drink into someone else’s glass. Dean had gotten Sam drunk more than once by leaving the contents of his shot in his tall glass of a sensible rum and coke. Usually with only a drop of rum. If Dean managed it though, there was more than a little bit of alcohol in his glass.

Pam was the one pretending she didn’t know people tried to sneak her a drink. She gladly drank it. Jess was smart enough that she rarely got really drunk unless she’d planned it beforehand. Benny drank happily, and it didn’t seem to affect him as badly as the rest of them.

Garth was the most desperate. Dean had seen him ‘water’ the flowers with it. And on one very memorable occasion he’d poured the drink into his mouth and then headed for the bathroom. Only he never got that far, was forced to swallow the stuff if he didn’t want to choke and then it wasn’t long before he was asleep under the kitchen table.

Benny’s drinks made them all lose it from time to time, and a part of Dean felt bad he hadn’t warned Cas when he saw how that turned out.


	5. Macrons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone's a bit confused...

Dean had made a real effort the night before and had seen a very unsteady brother lean heavily on his poor girlfriend on their way out. Sam never figured it out until it was too late when Dean tried sneaking him drinks. How did he never learn?

He himself was feeling pretty much like himself and was up relatively early the next morning. He cleaned the apartment, made coffee and ate the remaining of his pie.

When the clock turned three there was a knock on his door.

Cas was leaning heavily against the doorway. Hair an absolute mess. His clothes were comfy and fresh at least, but his eyes looked old.

“Dean… I um.” He cleared his throat several times after realizing his voice was gravely like never before.

“I’m not entirely certain what went down last night.” He eventually admitted.

Dean stared at him for a moment, then he chuckled as he led the poor man to his couch.

“I’ll bring some breakfast.”

Cas muttered something about not being able to eat anything, but he clutched the cup of steaming coffee tight when Dean handed it over. Dean left him alone while he made egg and bacon. He felt partly responsible for the way Cas felt today. Not that Dean had made him drink anything, but Garth had slipped him some and Benny had been insistent on keeping a close eye on the new guy. Cas hadn’t had a chance.

As Dean thought about it he should actually have a word with Benny. They all knew how his game worked, but sometimes he could take it a little too far. Cas didn’t know what hit him. Dean felt bad.

Cas stared miserably at his plate with proteins and carbs. Eventually he started picking at it. Once he’d gotten some solid into his stomach he slowly gained some color to his cheeks.

“So… um. I wasn’t really meaning to bother you.” Cas rasped.

“No worries. I’ve been there, man.”

Cas shook his head, but stopped abruptly – his head must spin violently. Then he asked what had happened.

“First I’ll have you know we don’t always drink like that.” Dean watched him and Cas nodded though, he didn’t look convinced. Who could blame him anyway?

Dean gave him a lecture on Benny’s experimenting on drinks. They were all ‘forced’ to drink it, though they had turned it into a game of slipping each other drinks in order to avoid it. Last night had been like it usually was. They drank and since Cas was the new one, he wasn’t prepared. Dean watched how Cas relaxed the moment he told him he hadn’t done anything major. Just the usual of talking too loud, clinking his glass so much the drink sloshed outside and then he’d almost fallen asleep with his head in Jess’ lap. Cas blushed at that, but Dean assured him Jess didn’t mind.

What he didn’t talk about, though, was the fact that Cas at one point had followed Dean into the kitchen. They’d been standing close leaning against the counter. Cas had become pretty drunk and had to concentrate on standing still. Dean stretched up to grab something from a cupboard when there were a touch of light fingers brushing at the exposed skin on his hips. He shuddered and Cas smiled a drunk and dopey smile while his warm fingers lingered.

It didn’t look like he remembered that part and Dean wasn’t sure how to tell him about it. Instead he decided to just keep that as a memory for himself. It had felt nice and he didn’t want to make Cas feel uncomfortable.

 

Just like that Dean and Cas became a regular visitor with each other. It started slowly with Dean having leftover dinner and asked if Cas wanted some. Then Cas knocked on his door, telling him he had beer and chips if he wanted to watch a game. Dean leaped across the hall to Cas’ delighted grin.

That night Cas revealed it was his birthday and Dean couldn’t wrap his head around the fact he was the only one there.

“Why don’t you celebrate your birthday?” Dean asked and stared at Cas.

Cas shrugged.

“I don’t really like that sort of thing.”

Dean prodded at him some more, asking if he couldn’t use it as an excuse to make a cake of some kind. Cas gave a little laugh and watched the game quietly for a while.

“I grew up in a big family. I’ve got seven siblings. Growing up like that it felt like someone had birthday every other week. It didn’t feel special anymore.” Cas’ voice was quiet and Dean got the distinct feeling there was a lot more to the story. He didn’t push it.

“So you don’t want to or? I can make you a cake this weekend if you’d like.” He offered.

“We could make one together.” Cas suggested, keeping his blue eyes locked with Dean’s and the slow smile that spread over his face made his face transform.

Cas was good looking, there was no denying it. Dean thought he didn’t smile enough. His serious face was closed and careful. With this smile he suddenly looked so… happy. Like genuinely pleased and unconcerned. Dean smiled back and forced down a blush. He couldn’t explain the lightheaded feeling in his chest and he certainly wasn’t going to examine the fluttering any closer.

“Sure, yeah.” He said, voice sounding a bit unfamiliar even to his own ears.

 

Dean fidgeted for the rest of the week. He wasn’t going to let it get to him, but ignoring stuff wasn’t always the solution. Dean was going to do it anyway. He was a grown ass man, he didn’t have to sit down and glare at his inner thoughts.

Meanwhile he spent some time on his favorite blog, looking for recipes or just to glance at the beautifully arranged pictures of mouthwatering stuff.

He checked for new snappy comments, but it had been quiet ever since he revealed he was a man. Dean wondered if it was intentional or if he just didn’t have anything to say about it.

Instead there was a new entry about macrons. Usually Dean would see those small mouthfuls in floating pastels. Not these. Heavenly sweets obviously preferred dark and clear colors. There were a plate full of royal blue macrons, with white filling. In contrast to those there was another one of crimson red with a yellow lemon filling. Dean’s mouth watered involuntary, but man, did they look eatable.

_March 9, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Somehow these are tempting to make even if macrons is the number one feminine pastry.”_

Dean meant that as a joke, maybe to tease the guy a little. The answer later that day was annoyed and sharp.

_March 9, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “I’m not sure why you felt the need to share that information, although it says more about you than me. If you don’t like them, don’t make them.”_

_March 9, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “I don’t have anything against them. They look really nice, in fact. And what do you think it says about me?”_

Dean felt like the point of their argument had really lost its meaning. The blog was one of his favorites. He shouldn’t make the owner of it uncomfortable or annoyed.

 

Friday came around and Dean had been to the store and bought what they needed for the cake. They were going to bake at Dean’s place so he could call it his gift to Cas.

“Then you don’t have to clean the kitchen after.” He said with a grin.

Dean arranged the ingredients on the counter and got the mixer and different pots ready. Cas looked it over, smiled and pulled out a small bottle of top quality vanilla extract. When he asked Cas told him that one of his brothers were such a sweet tooth he was able to tell the difference between real vanilla extract, and the cheap ones, as well as the quality of the stuff. Dean was a little stunned at that but he supposed there was any kind of weird interests around the world.

Once they started mixing the stuff together Dean was more of an on-looker than anything else. He leaned next to Cas, watched him work. It felt right. Cas obviously was very good at what he did. He barely had to look at the recipe. Muttered to himself, tasted along the way and Dean had to say he was a little impressed.

So he made coffee. Sipped from his cup, chatted with Cas about work and his brother. Asked about his family and then about his baking. The atmosphere in the kitchen was relaxed and warm. Dean almost couldn’t remember the last time he felt so content he almost forgot about the world outside. Once again he definitely wasn’t ready to think that maybe Cas was the reason behind it, but it was there nonetheless.

Eventually the cake got together. Dean helped him mix the topping and got the honor of trying out the holy vanilla. Cas spread the icing on top and the chocolate cake looked really good. Dean insisted on a ganache which he poured on top and let dribble down the sides of the cake for a nice effect. Cas nodded and smiled at the result.

“I brought something to put on top, you know, some details.” Cas said and picked up a box from next to his jacket.

Dean was busy digging around his cupboards looking for candles to put on top. He turned around and stared at the cake. Cas had placed a collection of macrons in deep blue and red on the cake. Just like the ones from Dean’s blog. Well, not his blog, but… yeah, his blog. It had to be a coincidence. Only, Dean didn’t really believe in coincidence when it came to things like this.

Cas turned around with a proud grin on his face and Dean lost the sharp question he was about to shoot about those delicate beauties on top.

“I am done. Now I want to take a picture before we try it.” He said.

Dean nodded quietly and reached for plates and forks.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait until tomorrow?” Dean asked.

Ever since that first Saturday where Cas joined them he had always been there with them. They were supposed to meet at Pam’s place this week.

“Oh, well no. I will not be there tomorrow.”

Dean tried to hide his disappointment. He had gotten used to having him around. It felt like he wasn’t alone. Which was stupid, because he was never alone with his friends. But somehow it felt different with Cas. Maybe it was the flirting, the way they would sit next to each other, thighs a warm pressure and more often than not, they shared inside jokes which made the rest of them roll their eyes.

“Oh, okay.” Dean nodded and dug around for a spatula to cut the cake. When he turned around Cas was watching him.

“It’s just that some of my siblings decided to visit.” He said a little uncertain.

“That’s good, right?” Dean put on a smile with some effort.

Cas nodded.

They opened the cake and it looked fabulous. The dark layers of cake in contrast to the light cream between. The rich smell of chocolate coming up at them and Dean felt his mouth water. He got a piece on his plate and Cas made another for himself. They leaned on each side of the counter, stabbing their forks into the softness of cake. Dean sighed long and satisfied.

“This is so good, man.” He said around a second spoonful.

Cas’ eyes were wide as he stared at him. When Dean licked his lip Cas’ eyes flickered down to watch before he looked up into his eyes again. There was a faint flush to his cheeks, but Cas turned the attention to his own cake without a word. Dean’s heart fluttered like a bird.

As they finished their pieces Cas headed over to the sink and started rinsing of bowls and spoons he’d used. Dean leaped over to him and placed his hands on his shoulders.

“This is my job. You just made this cake, so let me clean this up.” He said.

Cas looked like he wanted to argue. Dean pushed a bottle of beer in his hand and ordered him to sit down by the kitchen table. Cas eventually did and while Dean rinsed and placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher they continued chatting, this time about baking.

Dean didn’t come around to asking about the macrons. He only just remembered once Cas had said goodbye and left the apartment quiet and just a little bit empty.

Instead of dwelling on the quiet room Dean opened his tablet and headed over to the blog. He watched the macrons for a bit noticing they were almost exactly like the ones Cas had put on the cake. He should have just asked, Dean realized.

_March 10, 2017_

_Heavenly sweets: “Simply that you admit to be uncomfortable with feminine stuff. There’s nothing to be afraid of you know. Not everyone has to be so macho all the time.”_

Macho my ass, Dean thought. And afraid? He wasn’t afraid. Far from it. He simply knew what he preferred. Making macrons was one thing he didn’t want to do. A little voice in his head supplied that Cas definitely didn’t care. His macrons had looked absolutely perfect.

_March 11, 2017._

_ApplePieForAll: “I don’t have to be macho all the time. I just prefer to make things that aren’t so small and delicate.”_

Dean was a man with big hands made from hard work. They weren’t made for sweet little things that would break in his grasp. That was it, definitely.

 

The next night Dean found himself slouching in Pamela’s couch. His head was almost in her arms and he knew in a matter of minutes he would be lying in her lap. Benny had brought his hazardous drink as usual. It tasted alluringly and fruity – it was all a part of Benny’s plan to poison them, Dean was certain.

Garth had left for the bathroom a little while ago and Dean wondered in the back of his hazy mind if maybe it was time they stopped this thing. They had to grow up soon, right? The thing was, Sam was still there.

Okay that was a lousy argument. But honestly, that man wanted to be a grown up too much for his own good. It had always been Dean who acted irresponsibly or childish. A part of Dean found it a little weird that his brother hadn’t voiced some kind of unkind comment on their current Saturday night activities.

Not every Saturday ended like this one. Usually when Benny produced his drink of the week they would have one or two. Dean suspected it was his fault things got out of hand this time around. He was just in a weird place. First he felt a little uncertain about Cas.

After Cas left Dean ended up thinking about the way Cas’ eyes had flickered to his mouth or lingering closeness as they made the cake together. He tried not making it bigger than it was but somehow it played again and again in his head, those big blue eyes. And Dean absolutely hadn’t forgotten about the first time Cas got really drunk with them and started _touching_ him. He might have been out of his head, but he had reached out for him. Not Jess, not Pam. Him.

Then there was the comment about him being macho.

Dean squinted over at Benny, happy to notice he was just as inebriated as the rest.

“What makes a man macho?” Dean slurred.

Pam chuckled and patted Dean on his shoulder. “You’re macho enough, Dean.” She sighed.

Sam and Benny threw themselves in an argument about this where one insisted it was all about beard and voice, the other argued it was more about the way they acted.

Dean rolled his eyes and had already forgotten why he’d asked the question. Everything was fleeting and Pam’s hand felt warm against his chest. She’d snaked a hand inside his shirt and caressed his skin dangerously close to his nipple. Dean shivered, but didn’t move. The room was hot and he started feeling a little hot too. Eventually their friends started heading for the door and Dean made a move to get up. Pam pinched his nipple.


	6. Lemon Pie

When Dean dragged himself up the stairs the next morning his head pounded like crazy and his stomach churned nauseatingly. He had eaten pancakes on his way home and managed to stand straight, but all he could think about was a hot shower and his bed. Then maybe the angry voice inside his head yelling about how fucking stupid he was, would stop.

Country music was seeping softly through the walls and just when Dean had located his keys the door behind him swung open. He turned around slowly wondering what Cas would make of his appearance. Instead he was facing a stranger. Dean decided that he could justify the way glared at the person who looked way too cheery.

“Oh hello. Someone didn’t make it home last night.” A teasing voice said. Dean stared at the guy standing in the doorway. He was small with floppy hair and a crooked smile. He didn’t know him and had no idea why he felt the need to point this out. Dean just wanted to get into his own place.

“Gabe, who are you talking to?” Cas yelled over the music and Dean wanted to tell them to turn it down a notch or two.

“Just your neighbor.” Gabe almost sang, and came closer.

“I’m Gabriel, Cassie’s older brother.” His hand shot out and Dean didn’t have a choice but to grab it.

“Dean.” He offered in a scratchy voice just as Cas appeared in the door. He was wearing a black apron, his glasses had a stain on one side and his hair was unusually disheveled. He looked incredible.

“Wow, you look great.” Cas said with wide eyes and a mocking tone.

Dean rolled his eyes and muttered some curse about Benny. Cas laughed his quiet laugh and Dean had to take a deep breath.

“So you just got home, then?”

“Yeah… I uh… I stayed at Pam’s.” He fumbled with his keys and motioned to his place. Cas gave a short nod and a weak smile before he abruptly turned around and disappeared into his own place. Gabriel waved awkwardly and closed the door.

 

Dean would lie if he said things was normal between him and Cas. At first it felt a little awkward and Cas made some excuse not to join them the next weekend. Dean wanted to ask, but he didn’t take the chance. He suspected it had something to do with the way he got home last week, but the thought also made him feel quite conceited. Sure, he was a cool guy that people easily flirted with and gave him a reason to be a little conceited at times. Somehow, those rules didn't seem to apply to Cas.

 

On the blog Dean got an eyeful for his comment about delicate sweets. Heavenly Sweets insisted on the importance of diversity in the kitchen, Dean made a cheesy comment about how diverse he could be in the kitchen. The guy didn’t seem to appreciate that either as he insisted that was the reason he couldn’t make small and pretty things. Simply because he was so hung up on the “too cool for school” part. And Dean snorted a laugh because of that phrase, did people actually say that anymore?

_March 13, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Well, you’re the one talking about diversity. Why not take a chance on the kitchen counter once in a while? It could be exciting you know. Too cool for school? Really? Like you pointed out earlier, we all have our preferences. I would prefer to not make macrons.”_

 

Slowly Cas and Dean got back into their routine. Sundays were spent on either of their living rooms, at least until Dean had to go out for family dinner. They were eating, watching TV and Cas would mutter about the crossword. Monday and Tuesdays were quiet while Cas almost always came over to his place on Wednesdays after Dean had been at Bobby’s.

Dean wasn’t sure how he knew, but Dean always felt a little out of sorts after spending a few hours cleaning and helping a cursing and complaining Bobby around. He knew it wasn’t anything personal. Bobby just didn’t like to admit he needed help. And Dean could understand that. Bobby had always been a strong and independent kind of man. Being strapped to a wheelchair wasn’t his thing.

Well, he guessed it probably wasn’t anybody’s thing, but still. Someone seemed to handle it better than others. Bobby was one of those who didn’t handle it at all.

So whenever he came back tired and a little worse for wear Cas was there with hot coffee and something sweet and delicious. He didn’t ask and Dean didn’t tell him, even if he knew Cas had to be at least a little bit curious. Cas was too polite to dig into his personal affairs and for this Dean was glad.

Instead he had the ability to make Dean feel better about himself. To make him feel normal and good again. Dean had no idea how to thank him, he kind of wanted to, but there was just no way without having to talk about Bobby and he wouldn’t do that.

 

_March 14, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “I’m not entirely sure why we are having this dialog on my blog. What you prefer to be making from my recipes are entirely up to you. I don’t need to know about it.”_

Dean huffed. At least someone dared to address the pointlessness of their ‘dialog’. Dean still couldn’t seem to let it go, though.

_March 14, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Well, if you insist we could always exchange e-mail addresses and continue in private. I know you don’t need to know that. But you seem happy about a little feedback for anyone else so…”_

_March 14, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “I have no interest in having a private conversation with you.”_

That was a harsh reply. Dean frowned at the screen and sucked his lip into his mouth.

_March 15, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “I am wounded. I still think you would like a private conversation, at least to tell me off with the words you really want to use.”_

Dean shook his head at the stupidity and got up from his chair. It was almost Saturday again, he had promised Jess he would be making lemon pie, and so he had to get going.

Lemon made his mouth water and his eyes happy. It was so cheery and bright. Yellow and optimistic. Even if he hadn’t been able to look at it he would have had no choice but to smile at the first taste. It filled his mouth with so much flavor. Dean didn’t know about anything else that had such a rich taste in a single bite.

Even if his favorite was apple pie; the lemon one was a marginally close second. And the best part was that the recipe was his own. He had learned it over the years. First the crust which he used for any pie. He had perfected it. On his own. And he was damn proud of it. The recipe was written down in surprisingly neat letters in a book he kept partially hidden in a drawer. Nobody needed to see that, but he wouldn't deny it if someone picked it up and asked about it.

Pie filling too was something he had worked on over the years. It was his specialty and he might be weird about it, but he was not giving away his secret.

The secret was not really a secret. He had just tried and failed until he had hit perfection on each of the fillings. That’s what made them his, and maybe he was a sap but as long as he didn’t talk about it, nobody had to know how weird he was about the whole thing.

The lemon curd was something he had picked up at a girl he once stayed with for a couple of days. She had served him lemon pie in bed and when he asked she had happily told him about her mother’s baking skills. He’d lured the recipe from her and then worked on it until he was pleased.

 

Saturday night came around and Dean and Cas headed for Sam and Jess’ place together. Cas brought homemade doughnuts while Dean had his pie. After Cas joined their group there was always more than enough to eat of the sweet variety.

The girls usually complained about being tempted to eat too much of the sweet and unhealthy stuff, Garth would eat until he started sweating and Sam always tasted one of each, nodding approvingly. Dean had started a war with Benny, insisting that if he were to drink his crazy stuff, then he had to eat from his cake. Cas had bought in on that, and they kind of ganged up on the guy, but Benny wasn’t bothered. He ate cake and anything they offered in order to get them drunk on strange drinks. Dean didn’t know what was wrong with him.

Cas sat down next to Jess. They seemed to hit it off, and he didn’t move around much the entire night, except for the kitchen. Pam sat down with Dean on the couch, chatting and teasing in her hoarse voice. Dean chuckled at her jokes and slipped her his drink whenever he got the chance. It was not secret that Pam had the tolerance of a salty sailor. She could easily drink them all under the table, including Benny. They had tried it out, and that was the only time Dean had witnessed Benny turning green and had to carry Pam home.

Again, why didn’t they grow up and start having a couple glasses of wine? Dean didn’t know.

 

The couple of glasses of wine, or more accurately beer, was had with Cas whenever they got a chance. They would sit quietly in the living room, sipping beers and comment on something on tv or from the papers from time to time. It was quiet and calm.

Dean didn’t realize what was going on until Sam picked up a newspaper from the table and frowned.

“Since when do you do the crossword?” He asked.

“Huh?” Dean said a little distracted.

“The crossword? Its finished.” Sam complained. He used to do it too and got a little grumpy when someone beat him to it.

“Yeah, no, that’s Cas’ thing.” He said without looking up.

When Sam went quiet for too long Dean raised his eyes to look at him.

“What?”

“Uh... Cas’ thing? He’s here doing the crossword?” He asked.

Dean shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, sometimes.” He didn’t think it had to earn him a pointed look and a disturbingly soft smile from his brother.

“So he just sits here with his crossword? What do you do, then?”

“Hmm?” Dean didn’t know where all these questions came from and let a hand run through his hair.

“Don’t know. Usually I just watch tv or read a book or something. What’s with the interrogation?” Dean glared at him.

“Nothing. Just didn’t realize you two hung out so much.” Sam said in a light voice that definitely didn’t suit him. Dean placed his book in his lap.

“Okay, what are you really saying?” Dean asked.

Sam shifted on the couch, looking at Dean like he didn’t know how to come out and say it. Dean raised his eyebrows impatiently.

“I’m just saying that it seems as you two hit it off quite well.” Sam started.

“Yeah, so?” Did Sam know how Dean sometimes checked him out? It wasn’t his fault that Cas looked really great in the mornings when he shuffled in there with small, tired eyes behind his glasses, a wrinkled t-shirt and sweatpants hanging low. It was also dangerous to think about that bulge he could see beneath the fabric. Instead he would turn to the stove with his heart hammering, shooting out a comment about his wild hair. And Cas would huff as he inched down on the stool by the counter opening the morning paper.

“It’s a good thing, Dean.” Sam insisted.

“But if you’re about to move in together, then I think I’m entitled to know, being your brother and all.” Sam said a little defensive. Dean stared at him even if he felt his face heat up.

“What, no! We’re not – Moving in? Sam, we just hang out, there’s nothing more to it.” Dean insisted spluttering. The little smirk on Sam’s face didn’t help one bit.

“Right.”

“Don’t ‘right’ me. I am telling you that sometimes he hangs out here and sometimes I go over there. What gave you the idea we’re moving in?” Dean asked in a rush, heart beating an untidy rhythm in his chest and an angry blush spreading down his neck.

Sam sighed and placed the paper back on the table. He stretched his long legs out in front of him. Dean stared at the book in his lap. It didn’t matter. His brother could think what he wanted, but it didn’t matter. Because in all the time he had been hanging out with Cas nothing had given the impression that he felt anything like that for Dean. Well apart from the first time Cas got drunk on Benny's stuff. There had been a few times when Dean flirted that the guy had blushed or looked a little awkward. After getting to know him, though, he realized the guy was just… awkward. He wasn’t very good with people and he didn’t always know when someone was flirting.

He was definitely gay, though. Because he had told Dean about his ex. Which he really hadn’t wanted to know, but listened to anyway. His ex, apparently was some snob with a British accent made for dirty talk. So yeah, there was that.

“I don’t know, Dean. It just seems pretty domestic, don’t you think?” Sam asked, and now he was serious. That was even worse than when he was teasing. Serious Sam, meant a Sam who was trying to be a grown up, someone with concerns for his brother and so on. Dean shrugged.

“Call it what you want. But as far as I know two people can easily sit together in a living room doing the crosswords and watch TV without it having to mean anything.”

Sam decided to not push, and Dean was grateful. The room went quiet again apart from soft music playing on the radio from the kitchen. Eventually Dean's heart returned to a more healthy beat.

 

About half an hour later the door opened with a single knock and Cas poked his head around the doorway from the hall.

“Hello, Dean. I brought some – oh hi, Sam. Is this a bad time?” Cas glanced over at Dean again and so did Sam. The smug grin on his face had Dean fighting a blush but he hummed noncommittedly.

“Not a problem, Cas. You know where it goes.” He added and when Cas walked into the kitchen with a bowl in one hand, he heard it. His eyes snapped over to his brother and he couldn't help but stare at him with wide eyes a little anxious. They really did act embarrassingly domestic.


	7. Waffles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waffles for a sore heart.

Dean told himself he wasn’t hiding. Absolutely not. He was cool about this. Sam didn’t know he had pushed Dean into overthinking every word and every minute he spent with Cas. Cas definitely didn’t need to know that. And now that he was so busy, things returned more to the way it had been before Cas entered his life.

Quiet, that was apparently his new friend. Even if Cas was the really quiet kind of guest he was still there. For an entire week Dean didn’t see the guy. Dean wouldn’t have admitted to it for anything, but he missed the guy even if it was his own fault for pushing him away.

Dean kept busy. Made sure he had something to do and that he wouldn’t have to hang around too much with Cas. The guy was still there Wednesday when Dean was tired and a little worn from his day. Besides he was actually, secretly, really happy to have the guy there for a while.

It was all Sam’s fault, really. Dean was counting every little ‘accidental’ touch or lingering glance. It was exhausting! Their fingers would brush when Dean handed Cas a cup of coffee. Sometimes Cas would stand close enough that Dean could feel the heat from his body, and Dean imagined he caught Cas checking him out more than once.

When he believed this was all in his head things got complicated, because why would Cas even care to look at Dean? They were friends. Good friends. They enjoyed their time together so who would want to ruin that? He should just get it out of his head and act normal and cool. Not obsessed and a little crazy.

 

All the thinking and the overthinking made Dean tense and irritable. He was tired a lot of the time and when Cas started to give him space he just felt even worse. He didn’t want space. Except he had kind of snapped at Cas for leaving a row of coffee cups on his table instead of bringing them to the kitchen. Cas had looked confused, but got up and carried the offending cups into the kitchen.

There had been a few of those outbursts happening and eventually Cas probably had enough. And Dean was mad and afraid he might have pushed him too far away.

_March 17, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “A few choice words might have been said, yes. Mostly I don’t believe in unfriendly arguments. If we were to talk in private I would like to think we could have made friends instead of this arguing.”_

Dean read the words over and over. Why the hell couldn’t he just snap and curse at him? He guessed it had something to do with this being his blog and all. People who didn’t let it out and said what they thought should just shut up about everything.

The little voice inside Dean’s head – who sounded very much like his brother – whispered that he was one to talk. Dean’s skin prickled in annoyance.

_March 18, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “This is not arguing, man. We’re merely chatting about your cakes. And even if we doesn’t agree on everything I still don’t think it’s arguing. Friends, though? I don’t think so.”_

_March 18, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “Why not friends? We do seem to share a passion for baking.”_

_March 18, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Well, that’s about how far the sharing for anything goes. Not everyone with the same interest has to be friends you know.”_

 

Another thing Dean didn’t understand was Cas’ work. What did the guy _do_? He never seemed to leave the place much. He was there in the mornings when Dean went to work. He had heard the shower running or music playing countless times. Cas was there in the evenings when Dean came home from work. It usually smelled of some kind of delicious makings. Even if he stopped by in the middle of the day or left work early, the guy was there.

He had tried asking, but Cas was a master at being elusive. Dean got the impression that he worked from home with something involving cameras and computers. He never got a straight answer, and he never realized he’d been derived until later.

After a week of avoiding Cas – not really avoiding, just... making space – Dean had enough and stomped over to his place and knocked on the door. Cas stared at him with big blue eyes from behind his glasses and Dean’s stomach tightened.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Heya, Cas.”

Nobody could stare at you like Cas. He didn’t let go unless he felt embarrassed, and his eyes seemed to look even deeper than just his eyes.

Dean couldn’t help the way his eyes flickered down to where Cas’ white t-shirt had ridden up and was exposing a strip of tight skin. Dark hair teased as it disappeared behind his tight jeans. Dean’s own jeans suddenly felt tighter. Instead of making it awkward, Dean made a show of letting his eyes run over his appearance, because the guy looked all kinds of disheveled.

“Is this a bad time?” He teased.

“I’m just tidying a bit.” Cas said quietly, and his hair was an absolute mess, like he had run a wet hand through it all day.

“Oh. Well, do you need a break or something? I’ve made some dinner and… I don’t know, want some company.” He said awkwardly and forced himself to meet those eyes again.

Cas bit his lip like he was thinking about it.

“Let me get something for dessert.” He said and disappeared. Dean let out a long breath and headed back to his place. He needed to shake this. Nothing good would come from checking him out and thinking… thoughts.

Cas stared at the table which was set for two. He didn’t comment. Instead he told Dean not to look while he put the dessert into the fridge. Dean was just so relieved that it had been so easy getting Cas to have dinner with him, he would do anything he asked.

After dinner where they had easily gotten back into their old tracks, Dean cleaned off the table and they headed into the living room.

“So where’s this secret dessert of yours?” Dean flopped down into a chair with a sigh.

Cas got up from his seat. “I’m only the guest here so I’ll get the plates and spoons myself.” He muttered.

“Ass.” Dean huffed after him and grinned when he heard Cas’ chuckle.

“I’ve kind of made this up myself.”

“You created a recipe?” Dean sat up.

Cas cleared his voice. “Kind of. Well, I have been stealing a little from other recipes, but yeah, the creation is mine.” He said.

“Let’s see it!” Dean huffed.

Cas placed the cake on the table. It was chocolate, obviously. But Dean had never seen a meringue cake with chocolate before. The middle layer was a cream cheese filling, then there was a layer of a dark cream. Cas told him it was a buttercream with coffee and his mouth watered instantly. On the top of the cake he had just a thin layer of whipped cream and it was garnished with raspberries and blueberries.

“This looks incredible.” Dean said and waited while Cas cut a piece and placed in front of him.

The layers were neatly made and it all looked so soft and delicious. At the first taste Dean closed his eyes and let out a long moan. He flicked the spoon and savored the taste. The coffee stood out along with the cheesy layer. It was sweet and heavenly, but the berries on top balanced it perfectly. When Dean turned to Cas the guy stared at him with something between awe and nerves.

“Do you like it?” Cas eventually asked with a breathless laugh. And honestly, anyone would know Dean was gone. For the cake obviously.

“It tastes heavenly.” Dean said and smiled at him.

“So this is what you do all day, sit around fiddling with recipes and making new ones?”

“Sort of.” Cas nodded.

Dean meant to ask for elaboration, but then he took another bite of the cake and he just had to ask about the meringue. When Cas had given him a lecture on how to make it perfectly crisp and a little bit sticky he kind of forgot.

 

Dean was more relieved than he cared to admit that him and Cas fell back into their old rhythm. Things felt normal and right once they started hanging out ever since they became friends. Again, Dean was not going to look any closer at reasons, he was just going to enjoy it.

 

A few days later Dean was supposed to head over to Cas for a game. He had been in the shower, picked out his clothes – and shut up, he was just getting ready, okay? Anyone would spend some time in the shower after an entire day in a garage. Besides, clean clothes too were perfectly normal. If he chose a pair of jeans that were clinging to his thigs a little more than usual, then it was his business.

Music was playing from the kitchen and Dean had the door into his bathroom open as he hummed along and styled his hair. He barely heard a timid knock on the door, but he turned down the music and headed for the door.

Outside were a small little boy glancing up at him with brimming eyes. Dean stared at him for a moment, chest aching as he heard the voices from downstairs and pushed the door all the way open.

“C-can I stay here a –a little while?” Toby whispered and Dean smiled softly.

“Sure you can. Let’s head into the kitchen.” He put a hand carefully on the child’s shoulder and guided him through the living room and then pulled out one of the high stools.

Toby looked so defeated and subdued in comparison to what he usually looked. Dean wasn’t sure how to handle this. Sure, he had grown up in quite a situation himself, but this boy was in the middle of his crisis with screaming parents and even up here he could hear them.

His lip quivered and Dean decided to turn up the volume on the radio again.

“I was just listening to some of these songs. Would you like something to eat? I’ve got leftover soup, I’ve got some kind of creamy cake or I could make waffles.” He listed.

Toby shrugged and blinked furiously. Dean walked slowly over to him.

“Hey. It’s okay. You can cry with me if you feel like it.” Dean crouched down in front of the chair and reached out his arms.

The little boy swallowed again and again as his body was practically shaking with suppressed tears. Dean looked up at him patiently. A single tear rolled down his cheek and a muffled sob was forced out past the hand covering his mouth.

It seemed a dam had been broken. Toby leaned forward heavily and Dean caught him in his arms. His sobs were heartbreaking and his entire body was trembling against Dean. He stroked a hand over his back again and again and softly rocked him back and forth.

Eventually the sobs turned into sniffles but he was still clinging to Dean and pressing his face against his chest.

Behind them the door opened and Cas poked his head inside. His eyes went wide for a second then understanding dawned on him and he sagged slightly against the doorframe. Dean made an apologetic face at him with a little shake of his head. Cas nodded and backed out with a little wave of his hand.

When Toby pulled back he started drying his face with his arms. He kept staring at the floor until Dean picked him up and placed him on the counter.

“I’m going to make you waffles, okay? And you can sit there and tell me if there’s something you’d like to put into the batter.”

Dean turned to his task. Egg, milk and sugar. It was easy. Then some flour. He whisked away while he kept Toby in his vision at all times. At first he just sat there watching Dean work. When Dean placed a basket of different types of spices in front of him he grabbed it and stared hard into it.

Eventually he picked up cinnamon.

“I like this.” He said quietly.

Dean gave him a smile. Then he handed over a spoon and told him to put in a couple. Toby took the job very seriously as he measured it up and drizzled it into the bowl.

As Dean heated the waffle iron Toby continued to flip through the basket in his lap.

“What’s this?” He held up a glass and examined it.

“That’s a vanilla bean.”

It didn’t look like he understood.

“It’s where vanilla comes from. Or you know, it grows in this little capsule, then it’s picked and dried in the sun. Inside is these tiny little black seeds which tastes awesome.”

Toby turned the glass over and looked at it for a long time. Dean focused on making those pancakes.

“My mom yells at dad when he comes home from work.” The little voice spoke up again. Dean had just traded the basked with spices for a plate of waffle with melted butter and sugar. Toby had already had a few bites, but now he was gripping the plate tightly and staring intently at Dean.

“He says he’s tired, and then he yells back. I don’t know why they do that if they are tired.” Toby whispered. It looked like he waited for Dean to have an answer to that. He swallowed.

“Well, sometimes grown-ups yell because they are tired. You know like when you are really hungry and you suddenly feel annoyed with everything.”

Toby looked like he had to think about that for a while.

“Do you think they… aren’t they happy anymore?”

Dean took a deep breath. Toby picked a piece of his waffle and put it into his mouth. It didn’t look like he tasted it very much, though.

“Toby. Honestly, I don’t know. What I do know is that adults sometimes go through hard times. And when that happens, there might be yelling.”

“Why?”

The small, sad voice made Dean want to march downstairs and have a word with his parents. He had no idea what had happened. They always seemed like such a happy family, but like he said sometimes stuff just happened.

“I think sometimes we feel lost and don’t know what to do. That makes us say things we don’t really mean.”

It took a while before the boy calmed down properly. He ate one waffle which in his case was not enough. Usually he would eat until he groaned. Dean sat down on the couch with him, put on a movie at his request and eventually he fell asleep in his lap.


	8. Salt

Dean felt tired and fidgety the next day. He felt bad for Toby and the hard times he were going through at such a young age. He only hoped what little he could do were at least something positive for the little boy, because if someone knew the value of just the tiniest bit of goodwill when things were bad, then it was Dean.

Cas came over at breakfast, newspaper under his arm, his favorite coffee cup in one hand and a basket with fresh buns of some kind in the other. Dean smiled and sipped his own cup of coffee.

“How is the boy?” Cas asked.

“I’m not sure. He was really tired last night, so he slept even if his mother came and carried him downstairs.”

“Did she say anything?”

Dean shrugged. She’d looked incredibly guilty, which she should. Dean didn’t think it was an excuse. They shouldn’t be acting like that in front of their child. But she also looked so tired and sad. She didn’t want this anymore than anyone else, she probably found herself in a difficult situation.

 

_March 21, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “Since you’re talking about sharing, maybe you should share a recipe of yours with me and hopefully my readers?”_

Dean stared at the request. Was he serious?

_March 22, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Really? You want me to share a recipe with you? Me? Who you disagree with so much?_ ”

He couldn’t help but question this thing even if a part of him actually felt almost childishly excited at the thought of sharing one of his personal makings.

_March 22, 2017¨_

_Heavenly Sweets: “That’s exactly why. Because I want to see one of your creations, and I want to make it, then I want to taste it and let you know what I think of it.”_

Dean didn’t come up with a very good reason not to post a recipe. He was sure that if he really hadn’t wanted to then he’d just have abandoned the thought. Instead he couldn’t stop thinking about it which was a little weird. Dean always considered his baking somewhat of a private matter. He was going to wait a few days so he didn’t seem too eager.

 

Benny had to work the night shift this Saturday and couldn’t show for their weekly gathering. Sam and Jess had to head out to Jess’ parents for a birthday or something and both Garth and Pam said they didn’t feel like going if almost everyone were gone. That left Dean and Cas.

Dean repeated his effort from last night. Showered and dressed a tad nicer than he normally would before heading over to Cas’ place.

The night started out with a couple of beers as they watched TV and talked. It felt like any other day they met and Dean was fine with that. At least up until Cas decided to break out a bottle of whiskey.

“Normally I only use this for baking.” He shrugged and filled their glasses. Dean clinked his against Cas’ and took a sip.

They shared more than one glass. In fact, they had enough so that they started to act a little weird and eventually Dean had to start asking about his baking. Both tumbled into the kitchen.

“I want to know your secret ingredients.” Dean said gravely. Cas stared at him for a long time.

“I don’t have a secret ingredients.” He tried.

Dean narrowed his eyes.

“You make something almost every day-“

“I do. Every day.” Cas confessed.

“Right, every day, so you’ve got to have a couple of secrets.” He turned to look at him with his eyes wide and questioning.

Cas shook his head as he poured himself a glass of water. He then tried to head back into the living room. Dean wouldn’t let him and grabbed his arm.

“Seriously, from one very good cake baker, to another not so good, but very enthusiastic cake baker, can’t you share a secret?”

Cas leaned his hip against the counter and tapped his foot quietly against the floor. He sighed.

“It’s not a secret when other does the exact same thing, you know. I just use a pinch of salt in pretty much everything.”

“Salt?”

Cas nodded with amusement in his eyes. “Salt.” He repeated gravely.

Dean huffed and reached for one of the cupboards. Cas closed his fingers around his wrist.

“Now, that’s not very polite. Digging around other people’s stuff.” He said and Dean flushed even if he knew Cas was only teasing. He had been in those cupboards countless times after all.

Cas didn’t let go of his wrist, and suddenly everything Dean had tried to push to the back of his head ever since he and Sam had that talk came rushing forward. They were standing too close, both seemed unable to look away from each other’s eyes and suddenly they were both leaning in. Their lips met in a sloppy drunk-enthusiasm kind of kiss and soon Dean had his hands pressed to the counter on each side of Cas’ hips as he pinned the guy to the surface behind him. There was a hand in his hair and Dean gasped for air when Cas let his tongue trail down his chin to his neck. Cas let out a soft moan and came back up to meet his lips again. Those lips, damn that mouth. So sweet tasting and soft.

“Dean…” He sighed. And Dean wanted to. He wanted it so much he ached certain places. He just… he wasn’t sure. Even with his head all fuzzy he couldn’t shake the tension and the thought that maybe this would end in disaster. He liked Cas. He didn’t want things to get weird because they decided to have sex while they were drunk.

“Cas, I… Oh… I think we should think about this.” He whispered. Trying to form coherent sentences with someone’s exploring his skin was not the easiest task.

Cas pulled back a little. His tattooed arm resting on Dean’s shoulder. Eyes wide and lips pink and thoroughly kissed.

“What?”

Dean swallowed.

“I’m… what are we doing here?”

Cas took one more step back with a slightly hurt look, and Dean couldn’t help but feel like he had ruined something already.

“I thought you wanted it too.” Cas rasped.

“I do. I do, but…” Dean glanced to one side. “What if-“

Cas nodded slowly and leaned against the counter again, next to Dean this time.

“Let’s just call it a night and then we’ll talk tomorrow.” He didn’t sound mad, maybe a little defeated. Cas was a decent guy. Dean had known that all along. He wouldn’t push or make Dean do something he wasn’t comfortable doing.

 

Dean woke early the next morning and he waited fruitlessly on breakfast with Cas until he had to leave for Bobby’s. He was alone since Sam was away with Jess. Bobby sat by the table one hand wrapped loosely around a cup of coffee the other flipping through a book.

“What’s with you today?” Bobby eventually asked.

“Nothing. Why do you ask?” And Dean should know better than to ask questions like that. The thing about Bobby, he could seem like an ungrateful bastard most of the time, but he wasn’t really. Dean didn’t blame him for his bitterness and he almost never called him out on it. Because the way he saw it, being strapped to a wheelchair for the rest of one’s life tended to do something with the mood. Bobby might be angry and bitter most days, but he still cared. He’d been a father figure in his and Sam’s life ever since they were kids and that meant he cared. And he knew them quite well. So when they had too much on their mind and was too slow to hide it, then Bobby would definitely notice.

“Don’t ‘nothing’ me boy. I know a sulking face when I see one. Did you fight with Sam?”

Dean rolled his eyes. “I did not fight with Sam.”

“Well, something’s got your panties in a twist.” Bobby muttered as he sipped his coffee.

Dean let huffed quietly and continued his scrubbing in the sink. For a while the kitchen fell quiet again. Dean hummed thoughtful to the music on the radio, once in a while Bobby huffed and the sound of a pencil scratching on paper whispered as Bobby took notes. The refrigerator squeaked and bristled for attention while outside the open window birds were arguing over some seeds Bobby had poured into an old birdfeeder that Sam once made in school.

Even if Dean often felt tired and worn after being out here helping Bobby, this place had still been like a safe house for him and Sam as they grew up. He knew that if they’d grown up now they would probably have been taken away from their father. They never stayed long enough for people to start asking too many questions. Whenever someone started suspecting that things weren’t easy for them, John would grab them and move on to a new place. Dean shuddered. He was glad they had Bobby back then. Coming to this place had been so easy and good for them. Sam threw himself at Bobby’s bookshelves, while Dean spent hours outside, picking and poking at cars. That’s where he decided that to do when he grew up and he guessed the same went for Sam.

So Bobby always looked after them. Dean knew they owed him, big time, and he would never in a million years abandon the one man who had offered stability and quiet, but firm guidance when they needed it the most.

“I might have met someone, but then I probably screwed it up.” Dean placed his hands on the sink and stared hard out the window. He wasn’t sure why he gave in and told him. Bobby was good at that, getting information without seeming to try.

“Oh yeah? What did you do?” Bobby sipped his coffee and hadn’t taken his eyes off the book.

Dean sighed.

“I didn’t do anything. Think that’s part of the problem.”

“Did she want roses and candles and the whole shebang?” You’re not that kind of guy, Dean. Was left unsaid. Bobby didn’t sound impressed.

“No, but when I finally realized what I thought was friendship and things started progressing, I kind of ran out on him.” Dean sighed and turned to look at Bobby.

“That’ll do it.” Bobby nodded. “Maybe you should consider the roses and the candles after all.” One side of his mouth lifted in a smile.

Dean huffed and pushed a hand through his hair, but couldn’t help a tiny smile to escape.

“Yeah, great advise, man.”

“Any time.” He turned back to his book.

Dean chewed his lip and watched a couple of birds nipping away at their food. Bobby was right though. He owed Cas. They had both been a little drunk, but not so much so that any of them hadn’t been able to tell exactly what they wanted. What happened to the cool guy Dean had always been? Faced with the real deal, that illusion seemed to head for the hills. He sighed and rubbed his face.

“Don’t think too hard on it boy. If he likes you, then make a little effort, talk like adults and then he’ll probably thank you and forget about the whole ‘running off’ thing.”

Bobby made it sound easy, and maybe it was. Everything had been easy between him and Cas ever since the start, so why couldn’t this be? As long as he made an effort and showed that he actually did care, then it could work out.

“Thanks, Bobby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting closer to the end now. There is two, possibly three chapters left until the story is finished. Thank you all for staying with me so far :)


	9. Apple pie

Cas wasn’t home when Dean came back from Bobby's and maybe it was just as well. Dean felt good after his Sunday with Bobby. The man had been in a good place, talkative and even shared a bit of what he was working on. Dean wasn’t as good with words like Sam, but he could listen while Bobby talked about his latest translation project. It always surprised Dean how good the man was with words, especially words in other languages. No wonder he gave good advice.

Since the place was so quiet Dean turned on some music, letting out all the cool air in the refrigerator as he held it open and he spent the time thinking what he should make. He placed all the ingredients on the counter then he started working on his apple pie.

A little voice in his head tried to make him change his mind. He’d never given up his recipe to anyone. Lots of people had asked, but he didn’t want to. He’d helped Jess learn how to make the crust, and he’d once told Garth what to do with the filling, other than that he wasn’t so keen on sharing.

He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to prove something for that blogger. It was all really stupid, but he crushed his doubts and told himself to go through with it.

He liked the way caramelized apple with cinnamon and lemon filled his home. After he had finished both the crust and the filling, he spent a good half an hour on the top, trying to make a good looking crust. He didn’t usually make so much effort on the looks, but if he was going to share it with the world, so to speak, then he would do a little bit extra.

 

Dean knocked on Cas’ door and told himself to stop fidgeting. For once he’d opted for confrontation instead of avoidance. He could be a grown up. Cas looking a little disheveled and not as bright as usual when the door opened.

“Hi. Um… I made pie. Do you er, want to come over or…?” He glanced hopefully into blue eyes.

Cas was standing there watching him for so long, Dean had to fight the urge to make an awkward excuse and run back to the safety of his place.

“Okay. Let me get the paper.” Cas said and Dean almost sagged against the doorway with relief. It sounded so normal, just the way things had developed between them and Dean had been so afraid of losing that. He took a deep breath and gave a shaky smile.

 

Dean cut two large pieces of the pie, added ice cream, snapped a picture for later and handed one plate to Cas.

“This is great, Dean.” Cas said in his usual quiet and low voice.

The pie was perfect, the coffee tasted rich and the rustling from Cas’ paper had Dean heaving a deep breath, thinking that it could work out after all. He could do this, they both enjoyed these easy and relaxed evenings.

“Where did you learn to make such great pies?” Cas sat back in his chair.

Dean put his plate on the table.

“I did it myself.”

“By yourself?” It didn’t sound like he really believed him.

“Mm. I found a recipe years ago in a magazine, then I just kept making it. I did some changes along the way until it was perfect and this is now my signature, probably.” He admitted with a slight flush in his cheek.

Cas did look a little impressed by that.

“So you just decided one day to start baking?”

“I’ve always loved pie. I guess I started for real once I bought this place. Sam kept going on and on about how unhealthy those store-bought things are, so I thought I should have a go.”

“So all of your baking, it’s something you’ve learned by yourself?”

“Pretty much.”

Cas smiled and Dean felt like they were about to enter a part of the conversation he wasn’t really ready for. Either they would have to talk about his father or Bobby. Neither would turn into the thing Dean really wanted to talk about tonight. He shuffled forward in his chair and offered more pie to Cas.

“I can’t possibly get down another bite, Dean.” Cas took his plate away from Dean’s serving spoon. “You tend to have a slightly bigger serving size than I do.” There was warm amusement in his eyes.

“Big portions is good for you.” He insisted.

“I know, but I’ve already had two of those large ones. I’m not sure how there can be any pie left.” Cas said in a mocking tone.

“Okay, I’ll just… save the rest for tomorrow then.” Dean sighed and got up. Secretly he was really pleased with how much Cas liked it. He didn’t doubt for a moment how good his apple pie was, but confirmation always made his heart swell.

Dean sat down in his usual spot and glanced at Cas.

“Hey, man. About last night…” He said awkwardly. Cas carefully lowered his paper. Dean swallowed.

“I want to apologize for practically running out on you.” His voice was barely above a whisper and Dean cursed himself. How come he couldn’t sound like he was an adult with confidence? Well, maybe because he wasn’t really one. He sighed.

Cas nodded slowly. “Why did you?” He asked sounding every bit the responsible man Dean had gotten to know.

“Because I… We are friends, Cas. I’m not good at the uh… Something more part.”

“Something more?”

Dean stared the wall behind Cas. He had a picture there of Dean, Sam, Bobby and John outside Bobby’s house. All of them were smiling unguarded, like that moment just as the laughter start to die down. Everyone’s eyes full of genuine humor.

“If he likes you, then make a little effort, talk like adults and then he’ll probably thank you and forget about the whole ‘running off’ thing” Bobby’s advice sounded reasonable. It all came down to the “if he likes you.” And he was pretty certain Cas did. Not that they ever talked about it, but he did stick around, didn’t he?

“Yeah, well we uh… We were a little drunk, we kissed and things got a little bit ahead of me.” He said and forced himself to look at Cas.

Cas tilted his head to one side. “You think it was too soon?” He asked eventually.

“No I… I don’t know, Cas. I just didn’t want to do something while we were drunk in case we didn’t agree on it later.”

Dean rubbed his neck awkwardly and found himself sitting on the edge of his chair. Damn, why couldn’t he be cool about this? Bobby’s voice told him it was because it meant something to him.

“So you think we’d agree more it you decided to take off before anything happened?” Cas asked and there was a hint of amusement in his voice. Dean blushed but he felt his lips wanting to tug into a smile.

“It seemed like a good idea at the moment.” He muttered.

Dean sighed with relief. Cas was really cool about this. Neither of them said the words to decide anything or about what was about to happen last night. But even if they didn’t there was definitely something new in the air between them.

 

That night their goodbye was a little different than it used to. Dean and Cas was in the kitchen chatting about the next days. When Cas indicated he had to leave Dean walked closed.

“Let’s do this right then.” He whispered before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss on Cas’ lips.

When he pulled back to look at him, Cas had a dreamy look in his eyes, he sighed happily and leaned forward again. Dean felt giddy with the sensations running through his body. Cas’ arms were strong and felt right around him.

Cas stalked to the door a while later.

“Hey Dean?”

“Mm?”

“What are you doing next Thursday night?”

“Dunno, it’s over a week from know! Why?”

“Then would you like to come out with me? I’ve got a surprise.” He grinned and Dean’s stomach flipped.

“Yeah, sure, Cas. What is it?”

Cas rolled his eyes.

“It’s a surprise, I can’t tell you.”

Then he was gone. Only his laugh sounded from the hallway and it was a long time until Dean could stop grinning to himself like some idiot.

 

Dean spent two days pouring over the recipe and the blog. Eventually he decided on what he wanted to do and wrote his new comment on the blog.

_March 28, 2017._

_ApplePieForAll: “There. I’ve submitted my recipe onto your personal messages and I’ll let you decide what to do with it. I know we haven’t exactly been the best of friends, but I hope you’ll give it a fair chance._

He wasn’t going to tell the guy his whole story about adjusting the thing until he had been satisfied, something was better left to himself. He posted the comment and closed the computer, deciding to stay away from it a couple of days.

 

Toby had made a habit of spending time in Dean’s place once or twice a week. Sometimes he would just sit there watching cartoons on tv, other times he would sit by the counter in the kitchen chatting away with Dean. Almost every time there was quite a few pictures drawn and Dean was fine with that. Toby looked better, he didn’t talk about his parents, but he didn’t cry either.

Dean had been busy at work and with Sam coming back from his in-laws he had to meet him too. He was so used to the tunes that he barely registered the country music playing almost day and night. Even if he wasn’t entirely sure what Cas worked with he had learned to think of the music as a part of a baking spree. He had learned he shouldn’t disturb him in those times, so if Cas wanted to talk, then he would come over. The problem was that it had been five days, the music hadn’t stopped and Cas hadn’t showed his face at all.

Cas wasn’t there on Saturday when their friends met up at Benny’s bar and when Dean hadn’t seen him all Sunday either he started to get a little worried.

He knocked carefully on the door.

“Hey, Cas? Are you okay?”

“Dean! Yes, I am fine. Just… just working on some last minute stuff for Thursday.” He sounded distracted.

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.” He said through the door.

“Thank you, Dean.”

 

_April 2, 2017._   
_Heavenly Sweets: “I have to say, this Apple pie is the best I have ever tasted and if you are okay with it I would really like to post it on my blog. You will of course get the deserved credit if I do.”_

Dean huffed an unbelieving laugh. They should have shared recipes before, then maybe they wouldn’t have been so strangely hostile towards the other. He smiled a little, it would be cool seeing his recipe on the blog.

In an attempt to keep some of the control in his favor, Dean had left out one of the spices he would usually have in his own pie. Yes, he was kind of weird about it, but baking and food in general had a special place in his life. It meant something and if he were going to share food, then he wanted to be the one make it for them too. That’s why he spent so much time making food for Bobby, and that’s why he had dinner ready for Sam all through college. It all probably came from his father, because when they grew up being dragged from one place to the other there was very little money and not enough food. Dean had promised himself that when he became an adult, if it was one thing he’d never save money on, it was food.

 

Dean sat quietly in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and an old paper. It was Tuesday and he looked for something to do. Usually he would have knocked on Cas’ door, but the guy had been… well he seemed to be stuck in his weird place where he still blasted country music and let out an air of heavenly smells from time to time. Their neighbors had started rolling their eyes and asking questions whenever they met Dean in the stairs or outside, but he didn’t know any more than they did.

He could just head over there and demand he take a break, but the few words they had exchanged over the last days had been short and not very welcoming it seemed.

When there was a loud rapid knocking on his door, Dean jumped with a rush of curses and leaped to open it in case there was an emergency.

“I give up!” Cas announced and Dean’s eyes widened. The guy did look… kind of wild. Disheveled hair, dirty glasses and wrinkled clothes.

“What?” Dean asked.

Cas pushed a hand through his hair and there was no doubt that he had been doing it over and over already, for days probably.

“I can’t do this! I’ve been working on it for days, but I can’t seem to get it right.” Cas stared at him with desperation in his face.

“Cas, what are you talking about?”

“Your apple pie, Dean!” Cas practically yelled.

“You’ve been trying to make my apple pie?”

“Yes, YES. Exactly. It was so good I kind of got a little bit jealous. Then it was there all of a sudden. The recipe and the pictures, it all made sense when I saw them there on my blog. So I tried to make it immediately, but I can’t. get. It. Right.!” Cas said all in a rush and he breathed heavily. Dean felt his face pale before the color returned with a vengeance. Damn his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter to go, then a little epilogue. Thank you for leaving kudos and comments, it makes me smile and push forward even when I'm stuck. Hope you liked it!


	10. Champagne

“You’re... um.. oh my god, Cas. YOU?” Dean wanted to cover his face but Cas looked a little clueless.

“Dean will you just… come and taste it and tell me which one is the closest?”

“But YOU…”

“Oh…” Cas ducked his head and blushed.

“Yeah, it’s out there now. Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Dean demanded.

“I don’t know, Dean.” Cas said in a much, much quieter tone.

“Well, you should figure it out. I want to know why I’ve been spending the last couple of months in some kind of weird double… relationship with you.”

Cas looked up with his eyes helpless and anxious. Dean wasn’t going to back down on this. His heart was pounding and he felt something bubble dangerously in his chest.

“Because it’s stupid and I’ve got enough teasing by my brothers. I didn’t want it from you!” Cas said eventually.

“Teasing? Why would I – Cas just… I need to sit down.” Dean left the door open and stalked back to his seat in the kitchen.

He had to process this. Cas. Cas was the blogger who wrote his favorite baking blog, and the one he had been arguing with for months. He was the one he had become friends with and eventually, probably fallen in love with? Man, his life was weird.

“Did you know all this time?”

“No, how could I?”

“Oh, maybe because I make stuff from your damn blog all the time!” Dean raised his voice.

Dean wasn’t sure why he was so upset about not knowing. A part of his brain kept telling him he was overreacting, but he still thought he should have known! Maybe it was because they were friends, maybe it was weird because he was having this strange argument with the owner, which he didn’t think he’d ever know, but turned out to be Cas.

“I might have known that you have been trying out my cakes, but nothing more.”

“Then you should have said something, we’re friends aren’t we?” Dean asked.

Cas huffed and straightened his shoulders.

“You’re one to talk about telling stuff to each other.” Cas said glaring at him.

Dean raised his eyebrows questioning.

“Don’t you think I would like to know more about you? Every Wednesday and Sunday you go out with tense shoulders and return even worse. Whenever I ask you change the subject. So don’t tell me I’m the only one keeping things private.”

“That’s different, Cas.” Dean warned.

“Oh, okay. Please enlighten me.” Cas crossed his arms over his chest and if things weren’t so confusing and bad Dean might have laughed. Cas looked so angry and Dean had never seen him like that before.

Dean rubbed his face and sighed.

“It’s just different, Cas. It is nothing like hiding the fact that you’re a famous blogger.”

Cas blushed, but he didn’t stop his glaring or his angry stance.

“Dean I don’t understand why you are so mad about this.”

“Because I have asked you, you know. What you do, how you spend your days. You never said!”

“What if I didn’t want you to know yet? Besides, this doesn’t change anything.” He insisted.

Dean opened his mouth to come with a sharp reply about secret keeping when there was a knock on his door. What’s with the traffic into his life today? He gave Cas a look that told him this wasn’t over and went to the door. He pulled the door open and when he noticed Toby standing in the doorway his stomach tightened. Toby stared at his shoes.

“Hi.” He whispered.

“Hello, Toby.” Dean had to take a few deep breaths.

“Are… are you mad?” Toby dared a glance at him but quickly returned to stare at the floor.

“Wha- No, I’m not mad.”

“I heard voices.” Toby whispered again. Dean’s heart ached and he wished he didn’t make the kid feel so unsettled.

“Yeah, I… uh.” Dean scratched at his forehead.

“We might have been discussing something a bit too loud.” Dean admitted. Toby nodded and didn’t move.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

He asked if he wanted to come inside but Toby shook his head. Dean tried to listen but it was quiet downstairs. After a while he stepped out into the hall and slid down against the wall with his knees bent. Toby sat down facing him with his legs crossed.

“Were you arguing with Cas?” Toby asked after a while.

Dean supposed they were doing this then. Toby had been very sensitive for loud voices ever since his parents started fighting and Dean couldn’t blame him. He just wished really hard that he hadn’t been adding to his distress.

“A little bit, but we are still friends.” Dean assured.

Toby nodded and fiddled with his shoelaces.

“Why were you arguing if you are friends?”

Dean pursed his lips and smiled a little.

“Don’t you ever get upset with your friends?” He asked instead of producing some bullshit answer.

Toby thought about it for a while.

“I ran over Chris’ leg with my bike last week. He didn’t break it or anything, but he started yelling at me so I yelled back. I know I could have told him that I didn’t mean to, but my voice was very loud.” He said.

“Yeah?”

Toby told him that they had argued, that he had yelled at him and Chris had yelled back until Chris’ mother stopped them. He lit up. “Did I stop you and Cas?”

Dean nodded feeling little bit better.

“That’s good. I don’t think I can stop my mum and dad.” He said quietly.

“I am sorry to hear that.”

Eventually they got up and Dean promised he would head inside and be friends with Cas instead of arguing. And he would really like to try that out. Toby had actually stopped them and maybe they both had time to cool down a little.

 

Inside he took a deep breath before heading back into the living room. Cas stood by the counter still, flipping through a magazine.

“Dean –“

“Cas – “

Both stopped and shared a smile.

“You go first.” Cas said and Dean wanted to make Cas go first, but that would just be ridiculous. Instead he swallowed hard and sat down carefully opposite Cas.

“Maybe you’re right. We both have things we haven’t told the other, and I guess that’s fine.” He began and wanted to pat his shoulder for sounding so reasonable and grown up.

Cas nodded and suddenly they were having a talk about things. No raised voices, no accusations and no comments thrown that they would regret later. Well, almost.

“I’m just confused Cas. One moment we’re making out, the next we’re avoiding each other, then things are fine and suddenly we’re back at avoiding. How is anyone supposed to make sense of it?” And there it was, the regretting part. He sounded like a woman, and worse he sounded like a whiny woman.

Cas chuckled. “You and me both.”

 

When they went their separate ways later that night Dean sat down on the couch. He wasn’t sure about anything. It didn’t feel like they were heading anywhere. Talking like adults were one thing, but when they still managed to avoid actually putting everything into words, they could be as adult as they wanted to be. They still weren’t getting somewhere. So much for being cool and trying to act his age.

Thursday night they met and Cas took him into town.

“I should probably warn you that there will be a lot of people around tonight.” Cas began.

“So are you going to tell me the surprise yet?”

Cas rubbed his hands on his knees. “I’ve… written a book. A cookbook.” He said quietly.

A rush of anger, bitterness, pride and joy went through Dean and he had to tell himself to put a smile on his face.

“A book?”

“I have been working on it for the last year and it’s finally being published. Tonight’s a party with the editor and you know, the team behind it. Then next month it will be released and I’ll reveal my identity on the blog as well.” He said and bit his lip and glanced anxiously at Dean.

Dean buried his mixed feelings and decided to be happy that he decided he wanted to share this with him.

“This is really great, Cas. Congratulations.” He grinned and slapped his back.

Cas’ tight expression turned softer and he relaxed once Dean approved.

Dean followed him into the party and watched as Cas chatted with his editor and publisher, there were a lot of other people there as well as Cas’ family and some friends Dean hadn’t met. They sat down to eat and he was glad he was there with Cas. It felt right and maybe he did act a little childish with his pettiness, but he were going to put that behind him and focus on the fact that Cas actually had meant to tell him about the whole thing. He had invited Dean to this thing before either of them knew about the other on the blog. It felt like it would be alright.

It was late when they made it back to the apartment. They walked unsteady up the stairs and leaned against their respective doors. Dean pulled a bottle from inside his jacket.

“Do you want to come inside, to celebrate?” He grinned.

Cas’ mouth fell open.

“That’s champagne!” He breathed. “You stole a bottle of champagne?”

“Well, do you know what these things cost? Of course I stole it.” Dean rolled his eyes. “Come on, Cas. It’s not like anyone’s going to notice. Besides, they were celebrating you so this belongs to you, actually.” Dean insisted.

Cas shook his head and laughed. They headed into Dean’s place and once in the kitchen they opened the bottle of bubbles. Dean didn’t have fancy champagne glasses and instead opted to pour it into his whiskey glasses. Cas snorted and rolled his eyes, but accepted his glass and took a sip.

Both of them were pleasantly dizzy and cheery from drinking sparkling wine all night. Dean pushed away any kind of troubles between them and had decided he would enjoy this night out with Cas. After emptying the bottle Dean found himself standing between Cas’ legs where he sat on the counter.

Cas pulled him closer, almost gently and leaned in. There were questions in his eyes, if Dean wanted to stop he knew Cas wouldn’t be mad. He wasn’t going to stop. Instead he leaned in all the way and met soft lips. It started out slow and easy, Cas’ hand cupped his face and Dean sighed content. His head were already spinning, but this kept him grounded at the same time as it increased the fluttering in his chest.

“Dean…” Cas sighed and then there was a warm tongue urging Dean to part his lips. Dean felt he could barely breathe when Cas pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. His heart skipped a beat and he knew that this kiss was nothing like the first they had shared.

When Dean groaned Cas let go of his lips and trailed wet kisses down his jaw and neck. Dean trembled and wanted nothing more than to feel those lips all over. His head were spinning in a pleasant way, lazy and so tuned on Dean pulled Cas down to stand in front of him.

Their eyes met and that was answer enough. Dean grabbed his hand and pulled him into his bedroom.

Clothes fell rapidly to the floor, Cas pushed him down on the bed and Dean couldn’t remember ever feeling like this. His head felt heavy as did his bones, almost like he could fall asleep. At the same time he didn’t think he’d ever been so aware of his body before. He let his head fall back on the pillow as Cas’ mouth explored him.

Hands were everywhere, the only sounds were heavy breath and gasps of pleasure. Dean arched his back into the delicious, delicious stretch and pull. Mouth open in a silent scream his entire body trembled as Cas entered him. He felt like he would implode at the slightest move. Cas covered Dean’s body with his, staring with his blue, wide eyes and slowly, so slowly started to move. Dean felt it all, so much. His body alight with sensation and spinning from the bubbles, he had to take several gulps of air until he could even think of controlling his breathing. Cas nuzzled his neck and let out a soft moan. His hips moved faster and Dean lost the last bit of control. His back arched off the bed as his hands grabbed Cas’ back in an attempt to ground himself.

“Fuck, Cas, fuck, _fuck_ me. God, I can’t…” He gasped and Cas kept up his relentless rhythm that were drowning Dean. He came with a shout and was barely aware that while his body tightened up Cas shuddered and pressed forward, once, twice before he came too with a long moan.

Dean stared up at the ceiling, weightless and out of breath. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to move again. Cas let out a long sigh and Dean was sure he felt the same way.


	11. Chocolate mousse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EPILOGUE

Dean stared at his computer with a stupid grin. Cas had posted a new recipe on his blog this week. It was a base made from almonds and a chocolate mousse on top. He had made beautiful shapes of chocolate and drizzled caramel on top. It looked delicious and sweet, like anything Cas made and Dean knew for a fact that it tasted really good.

_September 12, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Sweet, sweet, so sweet! You’ve got to at least make the caramel salty. You’re going to fall over from all that sugar, man.”_

_September 12, 2017_

_Heavenly Sweets: “Sugar will not kill you once in a while. It tastes heavenly.”_

_September 13, 2017_

_ApplePieForAll: “Once in a while you say? What do you do with all the stuff you make, then? You’re right, though. The cake was delicious.”_

A habit was a habit. They still bickered on his blog even if Dean had featured several updates by now. Both of them enjoyed those comments back and forth, and since both knew now that they had slightly different styles neither put more into it than the teasing online.

Dean sighed and sat back on his couch. He had considered asking Cas to move in, but maybe they should wait a little bit. Things were good now. They were a major part of each other’s life and it felt right. He wasn’t in a rush anyway.

 

It was Wednesday and Dean parked his car in front of the familiar dilapidated house. Cas stared out the window looking like he had thousand questions. Dean had finally told him about his past, about his father and then about Bobby.

Even if it had taken them a few months to get there Dean had finally asked Bobby if he wanted to meet Cas. So there they were. Cas didn’t say anything as they walked to the door. Dean let them inside and announced to Bobby about their presence, then he headed into the kitchen.

As usual there was dishes to be done, food to be made and floors to be washed. Bobby wheeled into the kitchen to meet them and Dean introduced his father-figure to his boyfriend. He watched them shake hands and as Bobby started to tell him he had read his book Cas blushed, but sat down on the offered chair and they started talking.

Dean turned to his task at hand. Bobby and Cas got along well it seemed. Dean made them all food and Bobby was in a good mood as he dug into the food and answered Cas’ questions about his work at the same time.

When they were leaving Bobby smiled at them both.

“It was good to meet you, Cas.” He said.

Then he patted Dean’s arm. “You did good, son.” He muttered.

Cas had come with Dean almost every Wednesday after that. Bobby became like a friend to Cas and Dean was happy he talked to someone other than him and Sam or his bitter neighbor.

 

Dean stared at the ceiling of Cas’ bedroom. The night had been pleasant and quiet. Dean and Cas had finally asked their friends to come over for a bottle of beer. Benny’s mixtures were reduced to a once a month kind of thing and sometimes even less than that. Sam had widened his eyes and grinned when Dean brought it up.

“I can’t say I hadn’t thought about it, but I did not think you would get there before me.” Sam said.

“Yeah, well I am a couple of years older.”

Sam grinned and told him it was good to see him so happy. Dean told him to shut up. He smiled at the thought. His brother was really happy for him so that teasing didn’t matter. Dean let his head fall to the side to glance at Cas. His hair was a mess, he seemed to be thoughtful too and when Dean let his eyes rake over his slightly sweaty body Cas just smiled. He looked great as usual.

Dean turned back to the ceiling again.

Cas wouldn’t stop asking him.

“What are you doing to that pie?” He stabbed his fork into a bite and lifted it up to examine it. He took a bite and smacked his lips and sucked his tongue or something to try and figure it out.

“Dean, I want to know!”

He’d hang over his shoulder whenever Dean made the pie but he had already made a spice mix which he used in his pie.

“Hah! Lemon, I knew it.” Cas sighed.

“It’s not lemon. I know I use it, but that’s not the secret.” He said.

Cas shook his head and walked into the living room instead. They had large portions of pie in front of the TV and Cas didn’t ask again.

Dean shuffled closer to Cas in the bed, nuzzling his hair, taking in the smell of his man.

“It’s vinegar, Cas. Gotta have some vinegar in that crust, and a tiny, tiny sprinkle of ginger.” He whispered.

Cas simply turned around and kissed his lips.

“I love you, Dean.”

So, yeah. Dean considered himself a cool guy. Even if he preferred a night in, having a go at the crossword but eventually just read a book because it was too hard. He made the best cakes and he was damn proud of it too. That was him and he could barely believe how good his life had turned out to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, commenting and 'kudosing' ;) Hope you all enjoyed it and that maybe it made you smile once or twice.  
> This is it for now so; be good, guys <3
> 
> xx - until next time


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